Somniare Securitatem
by Vinividivinci
Summary: Jack learns some history as he travels to a society similar to Ancient Rome.  Accompanied by Daniel and Sam they have to figure out a way of finding their way back to freedom.  Of course lots of whump, angst and adventure.  Romance if you ask.
1. Chapter 1

**_A short introductory chapter to my new story. I still plan a follow up to some of my other stories (10,000 BC and Betrayal) but am doing something new for a while. I hope you enjoy._**

**_Not mine (sigh) although I can dream right? I make no money off this story._**

"There's nothing here Daniel." Jack had been pacing back and forth while Daniel checked out some of the ruins around them. They'd gated to this planet – P something – this morning and so far they had seen nothing.

There was a small village about 15 kilometers from the gate but all the readings showed it was a pre-industrial farming community and offered nothing for their fight against the Goa'uld. The only thing of any interest had been the ruins that had shown up on the UAV camera. Daniel had been thrilled.

"Jack, there could be something important. Maybe it'll give us some more information about a civilization or ally who can help us."

"Daniel, they're ruins! That means everyone is dead and dead people aren't of any use to us."

"That's not true. What about the Ancients? They helped us."

"Yeah, and almost fried my brain in the process. Anyway, it wasn't Ancient ruins that helped us – it was Ancient _technology_. Now, if you were to tell me there was some of that here I'd be happy to go. I expect we'll just find a bunch of broken buildings and stones."

"Jack, you have no appreciation for what history can teach us."

"Sure I do Jackson! I watch the Discovery Channel all the time. I just don't like to spend my working day watching you dig up things that aren't going to help us save the planet."

But that's exactly what he'd done. It was hot and dusty and _boring_. He could have used just a bit of action. Maybe a Jaffa or two? No Goa'ulds, that was too exciting – but a little running, chasing, using the zat? Now that would be much less boring.

He looked at his watch, for probably the hundredth time until finally he figured he'd given Daniel enough time. Not that the Archaeologist would agree with that. He'd stay forever, or until he'd looked at every rock, before he'd think it was time to leave. Well, that was why Jack was in charge.

"Okay, time to go home. Daddy Hammond told us to be back in time for dinner so let's go."

"But Ja -"

"Nope. No 'but Jack's' Daniel. Get your stuff and let's get going. I'm tired and dusty and hungry. You can look at all your pictures when we get back and if you find anything interesting I'm sure you can ask General Hammond to let you come back – with another team."

It took Daniel twenty minutes to clear everything and put all his equipment away. Jack did another walk around the perimeter, meeting Teal'c along the way. "We're heading back in half an hour Teal'c."

"That is good O'Neill."

"Bored Teal'c?"

"Indeed", Teal'c bowed his head.

"Yeah, me too. Have you seen Carter?"

"She's just beyond the building", he pointed to the one standing structure, twenty feet away. "She was taking some readings."

"Thanks Teal'c" O'Neill gave a small wave with his fingers and headed over to check on his other science geek.

"Hey Carter. You here?"

"Yes Sir", she called. He could see her kneeling on the ground looking at something on the ground.

"See something interesting?"

"Not really Colonel. My scope indicated there were some mineral deposits here but it's nothing interesting. Looks like the soil is heavy in iron."

"No Naquada?"

"No Sir."

"So today's been pretty much a write off?"

"I would say so Sir. Unless Daniel's found something."

"I haven't heard him do his "I found something fascinating Jack" routine so I don't think so. We're packing up and heading out Carter. I want to be home for dinner."

"Sounds good to me Colonel. I'm ready to go." She stood up and wiped her hands and put her few pieces of equipment away. It took her no more than two minutes and she stood waiting, all ready to go.

It was one of the things he loved about Carter. She was super efficient and never wasted his time. You could always count on her. And the best part of it was – she had a great sense of humor to go along with it. Yup, Carter was definitely the best 2IC he'd ever had.

"Let's go Major." He grabbed her pack and helped her on with it. They walked back to where Daniel was just finishing up.

"O'Neill" Teal'c's voice suddenly came over the radio. "We have Jaffa approaching from the direction of the gate. It appears that there are a significant number."

"Crap!" Jack started to run towards Daniel. "Get your stuff now. We're heading out. We have Jaffa at 3:00 o'clock coming fast." He grabbed his radio. "Make your way to our position Teal'c. We'll head out north and see if we can avoid them."

"They are moving quickly O'Neill. I'll be at your position in 2 minutes." It took less than that by the time they saw Teal'c. As soon as he'd arrived they quickly headed out, away from the ruins and the approaching Jaffa. The problem they had was that except for the ruins there was no cover for quite a few kilometers. The land surrounding the old settlement was pretty much flat desert with only a few small plants.

They hurried away, hoping the Jaffa didn't know they were here. It could be that they were headed towards the village and wouldn't notice the 'Tauri' who were here before them.

Jack wanted them to get far enough away before the Jaffa looked in their direction and then they'd hunker down. Hopefully the Jaffa wouldn't see them or would simply think they were rocks in the distance.

Of course, like most of their Plan A's – it didn't work. They'd only made it about 30 meters out of the ruins before they heard a shout. They'd been spotted.

"Run campers!" They began to sprint, knowing their lives depended on their speed.

For a while it looked like they had a chance. They were moving ahead of the heavily armored soldiers. If they could keep going they might just make it. It was just as Jack thought things might be looking up that a small, innocuous plant, partially buried in the dusty earth, put a stop to their escape.

The Colonel glanced at his teammates to make sure they were keeping up when his toe caught the plant. He went flying and could feel something go in his knee. With a yelp he landed on the ground and grabbed the wounded joint, rolling in agony.

"Go, go" he gasped. "Get out of here!"

"We're not going to leave you Jack."

"Damnit Danny, there's no point in all of us getting captured. If you're free you can come and get me now GO! That's an order."

"Come on Daniel, the Colonel is right." She grabbed Dr. Jackson and pulled him to his feet. Teal'c was watching their six.

"We must leave. They are coming quickly."

"We'll come for you Sir, don't worry."

"I know – now go." Without any further words the rest of his team ran ahead. Jack pulled his P-90 forward with one hand and grabbed his zat with the other and waited.

It wasn't long before the Jaffa were close enough for him to begin firing. He took out half a dozen of them before he was hit with a zat. The last thing he remembered was one of the Jaffa shouting for them to get the others.

The _first_ thing he discovered, when awareness returned, was that he was no longer on the planet. It was dark so he couldn't tell where he was, just that he was laying on a hard, cool, obviously man-made (Jaffa made?) surface. The next thing he noticed was that he hurt. At least his knee hurt. In fact, it was throbbing like a toothache. It was when he tried to move to give himself some relief that he realized one more thing – he was bound hand and foot.

"Damn", he groaned.

"Are you okay Sir?" a voice rose out of the darkness.

"Double damn! Is that you Carter?"

"Yes Sir. Are you okay?"

"Just fine Major. So they caught you too?"

"Yes, and Daniel. I think Teal'c got away."

"Daniel? Is he here too?"

"Yes. I think he's still unconscious though. They zatted him."

"Are you all right Major?"

"I'm fine Sir, I didn't get Zatted. I'm just a little – pissed that we got caught."

"Yeah, that was my fault I'm afraid." He cursed himself. What a time to trip and fall on his ass.

"I think they would have caught us anyway Sir. There really wasn't anywhere to go."

"Sound's like Teal'c found someplace."

"I think they just let him get away. I think they were satisfied with the three of us."

"Any idea what they want us for? Do they know who we are?"

"I don't think so. In fact, I don't think they really are Jaffa."

"Not really ….?"

"I mean, they're Jaffa, but I don't they're in the service of any System Lord. They had a number of different tattoos and this isn't a Hatak. I think we may have run into some renegade Jaffa."

"Renegades? Are they Free Jaffa? Maybe they'll let us go when they find out who we are."

"I don't think so Colonel. I don't think these are good guys."

"Any idea what they were doing on the planet?"

"No, they didn't say."

"Mmmm" Damn, his knee was killing him and not being able to move made it worse. "Are you tied up Major?"

"My hands are tied to some kind of bar or pipe. I can move a bit but I'm stuck over here."

"Any idea about Daniel?"

"Yeah, he's over here beside me. Unfortunately I can't quite reach him."

Jack wondered if he could move over towards Sam and see if he they could help each other with the ropes binding their wrists. It would be struggle to make it over, bound as he was, but no pain, no gain!

He began to wiggle himself over. He tried bending his legs to give him some leverage but realized quickly that that wasn't a good idea. The pain from his knee made black spots appear in front of his eyes and he almost passed out. He must have screwed it up good!

In the end he simply rolled over. It was ungainly and uncomfortable but was also the quickest way. "Keep talking to me Major. I'm heading over your way." She spoke softly to him and eventually he bumped into her feet. He wiggled up until he could feel her hands, which were tied behind her and then attached to something anchored in the wall. She did have a little bit of movement however.

"Think you can try and release me?" He rolled so his back was up against her hands. She started to try and pick at the ropes but it was extremely difficult. They were thin but very strong cords and they were tied incredibly tightly. She worked at them for a long time and barely felt any loosening of the knots.

"Wha? Where am I?" Daniel sounded out of it but at least he was finally awake. Jack had been getting worried.

"Daniel. You okay?"

"Jack? Where are you?"

"I'm here and so is Carter. She thinks Teal'c got away. We're trying to get these ropes undone. Are you tied up as well?"

"Uh yeah. Are you alright Jack?"

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine – my knee's just a bit sore and I'm tired of lying here like a mummy."

"I don't think I'd use that word here Jack."

"Huh? What? Oh, oh yeah. Okay so I'm tied up like a – whatever. The thing is we have to get out of here."

"Do we know where 'here' is?"

"We were brought aboard their ship. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. It doesn't look Goa'uld."

"No?"

"Carter thinks these may be renegade Jaffa."

"Renegade? What do they want with us?"

"We don't know and I'd really rather not wait to find out."

"Have we taken off yet, do you know Carter?"

"I don't think so Sir. It doesn't feel like it."

"Well, that's one good thing then. We still might be able to get out of here."

"If I can get these ropes … _there_!" He could suddenly feel the ropes loosen. After pulling at them he managed to take them off and then reached down and quickly untied his ankles. If anything, that made his knee hurt more. He rubbed it for a second and then turned to Sam and removed the rope around her wrist. After freeing Daniel he decided to try and get to his feet and see if they could find the door out of here.

"Crap!" He almost stumbled and fell. The combination of blood returning to his limbs along with whatever was wrong with the blasted knee made it hard to stand. Suddenly he felt someone's hand steadying him.

"I've got you Sir."

"Thanks Carter!" He took a couple of deep breaths and then hobbled over to the side of the room. "It would be great if we could get some light in here. I hate not being able to see." He reached around, trying to find a panel or switch. Not sure what to look for he turned in Carter's direction. "Any idea what kind of button I'm looking for?"

"Sorry Colonel. I've never seen this kind of ship before."

"You didn't notice when they brought you in?"

"Uh no. I think they may have given me something when we first arrived. I was out for a little while myself."

"Okay. Well, here goes." He limped around the perimeter of the room, using the wall to support him. "There"

"Find something?"

"Yes, but I don't know what it is." He took a chance and pushed it. He could hear a hum but nothing happened. He tried it a few more times and still nothing. "I guess that's not it."

"Colonel?" Sam's voice rose out of the darkness. She sounded hesitant.

"What is it Carter?"

"I uh, I don't think it's dark in here Sir."

"Not dark? Of course it is. I can't see anything. Can you?"

"No and I think that's it."

"What's it?"

"I don't think we can see. I think we're blind."

"WHAT! What do you mean? How could we be blind?"

"I don't know Colonel. It's just that our eyes should have grown accustomed to the dark by now."

"Not if there is no light in here Sam", Daniel said.

"No, that's true but – I can't see my watch and I'm still wearing it."

Jack realized he was wearing his too. He flipped the cover off and looked at it. Unless it had suddenly stopped working he should have been able to see the fluorescent numbers.

"Damn! Do you think this is like the Goa'uld shock grenade? Maybe it's just temporary."

"Yes, it is temporary." A voice spoke to them. How did he get in here Jack wondered? He hadn't even heard the door open.

"I see you have managed to loosen your bonds. You are obviously resourceful people."

"Who are you and what do you want with us?" Jack turned and faced he direction of the voice.

"Want with you? We want to make money with you."

"Money?" Jack wondered if they were after the bounty the System Lords had on their heads.

"Slavers." Daniel said quietly. "I think they're slavers."

"Oh dear, we don't like to refer to ourselves that way", the voice answered. "We think of ourselves as marketers in high class wares."

"So, slavers", Jack replied. "And what about our eyes?"

"Oh that? That is just a precaution to keep you from running away. The antidote is simple and effective, but we will not give it to you until after we arrive at our destination. Until then you will stay here." The voice started to walk away and Jack was pretty sure the man was leaving.

"How long?" he asked.

"Until we arrive?"

"Yes"

"We will arrive when we get there. You will be given food and water. There is a piss pot in the corner. I suggest you be careful as we won't clean up after you." This time they could hear the door open. "Relax. Once we arrive you will no longer have time to rest." The door shut and they were again alone.

"Okay, this isn't good." Sliding down to the ground Jack rested his head against the wall. It didn't look like they could do much until they got their sight back. He just prayed Teal'c would be able to find out where they were headed.

"What should we do Jack?" Daniel asked softly.

"Do? We wait – and we hope."


	2. Fatum Incompertus

_**The obligatory Vini Jack-Whump ahead! More whump (including Daniel and Sam Whump in future chapters). Hey folks - it's a 'Whump-fest!'**_

Being unable to see, and not having any reference point to the passage of time meant they couldn't tell how long they'd been traveling. Jack estimated that it had been about three days but he could have been wildly off.

They were fed, but mealtimes were irregular. He figured their captives did that intentionally to keep them from being able to estimate the number of days since they'd been captured. He couldn't figure out what difference it would make so figured they were doing it to keep them off balance. It was a pretty common way of disorienting and weakening your prisoners.

That first day, when they found out they were blind and being held by slave traders, Jack realized he had to do something to keep all of them from getting depressed. Being unable to see and feeling totally helpless was frightening and he knew they could quickly become despondent. So, he initiated a number of games and contests to keep them amused – and to keep them from worrying about their fate.

For part of the time they played a number of rousing games of 20 questions - and were surprisingly equal in terms of ability. Daniel, of course, excelled at history, geography and most cultural references. Sam was good at anything to do with science, past inventions and – surprisingly – old movies, especially musicals!

It was Jack who was the shocker. They weren't surprised at his knowledge of sports, or TV shows but they were amazed at how much he knew about literature, music and art. He was no slacker when it came to history or philosophy either.

"Jack", Daniel said after the Colonel had won another round. "You're a fake!"

"Hey, I am not Jackson!"

"Yes you are. You pretend to be a simple, ignorant soldier and in reality you're highly refined and educated."

"I never said I was simple – that was you!" the Colonel sniggered.

"Well you spend all your time pretending! You really are educated, aren't you?"

"I graduated high school, if that's what you mean."

"High School and what else?"

"Elementary school?"

"Jack! You went to university, didn't you?"

"He would have had to Daniel", interjected Sam. "To be an officer you have to have a degree."

"Yeah, I guess I knew that. So, what did you study?"

"Girls."

"Jack, be serious."

"I am serious Daniel. I went to university when I was 18. There is no more serious subject to an 18 year old guy than girls!"

"Okay yeah, I suppose. But what did you study between your time studying girls."

"Well, I did a bunch of things. Not science though. I hated science."

"Yeah, we got that. But what subjects specifically?"

"Well, maybe some Art history."

"Hah! History, I knew it."

"I said _art_ history Daniel. That's different."

"Not by much. You still had to learn about history to know about different periods of art. So tell me, what was your favorite kind?"

"Girls."

"Jack!" The Colonel could hear Carter giggling and he smiled. His plan to keep their mind off things was working.

"Okay, okay. Let me see. I like all different kinds of art – I like some classical stuff – you know Roman, Greek, I like some of the late Renaissance artists like DaVinci and Michelangelo. Impressionism is great and I'm also fond of various contemporary artists like Basquiat or Hirst. All kinds, okay."

"All right, so you know about art. What else did you study?"

"Daniel, what is this? Twenty questions?"

"Yes Jack, that's exactly what it is. You were the one who wanted to play."

"Yeah, but that was a game – not 'twenty questions about Jack's life'."

"This is much more fun. Come on, what else."

"Okay, maybe some music."

"Music? What kind of music? Do you play an instrument?"

"Maybe."

"Hah, you do. What instrument?"

"Piano."

"You play piano?"

"And guitar."

"Piano and guitar?"

"And Sax."

"And _Sax?_ Anything else?" Daniel asked sarcastically.

"No. Okay, maybe a little cello."

"_Cello_? You play the Cello for God's sake?"

"Hey, it's a great instrument! I wanted to learn violin but my hands were too big."

"God. So you know art and you studied music. What else."

"Isn't that enough?"

"What else?"

"Well, a little bit of literature?"

"Literature? You studied English literature."

"Yeah, that too."

"That _too?_ What do you mean _too_? Did you study some other kind of literature?"

"Mmmm hmmm."

"What kind?"

"Rnn n Fn" Jack mumbled.

"What? I couldn't hear you."

"Rnn n Frn", he mumbled again.

"Jaaack! What kind of literature did you study?"

"Russian and French, okay Daniel!"

"Russian and French – and English literature?"

"Maybe."

"Jack, did you study them in translation?"

"Well, I studied the English literature in English if that's what you mean?" He could hear Sam trying not to laugh. It sounded as if she was choking on her own tongue.

"And what languages did you study the Russian and French literature in?" Daniel asked, sounding _very_ patient.

"Well _duh_! What languages do you think Jackson? I certainly wasn't going to study Russian literature in German or Greek for God's sake."

"You speak Russian, don't you?"

When Jack didn't say anything Daniel asked again. "You speak Russian _and_ French, don't you Jack?"

"Yeah, okay. But it's been a long time. I'm rusty."

"Rusty? Somehow I doubt that. I assume you read Tolstoy and Dostoevsky and the like. That means your Russian must have been pretty good."

"It was okay."

"How about your French?"

"Well, it was a great way to pick up girls. They loved the French accent."

"What other languages do you speak?"

"Well, you taught me Latin during that time loop thingy. I wished I'd known it in university though. That really would have impressed them."

"Any others?"

"Any other what?"

"Languages?" Daniel sighed. Talk about pulling teeth. Although he admitted to himself that he was surprised Jack was even will to talk about himself like this. Daniel suddenly realized it was his attempt to keep their spirits up and admired the man for being willing to open himself up like this. He knew how much Jack hated to talk about himself.

"Languages? Well, let's see. I may know one or two more."

"One or two?"

"Okay, okay, maybe I know a few."

"Which ones?"

"Arabic."

"Yeah, that I could have guessed. What else?"

"Do you really need to know this Daniel?"

"Yes. Now talk O'Neill."

"German."

"Figures. What else?"

"Spanish and a some Mandarin. And that's all."

"That's _all?_ God Jack, you're almost as much a linguist as I am and you've hid it totally all these years."

"Hey, I didn't hide it. How often do we need Russian or German when traveling to alien planets Daniel? Now, if I could speak fluent Goa'uld or Nox it would be a different thing."

"Okay, so we've established you know literature and languages and art and music. Is there anything else you're keeping from us?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Well, not too much."

"What else?"

"Hey, I'm good at shooting a gun. I can play a mean game of street hockey and I know all the words to the Wizard of Oz. I'm a man of many talents!"

"What else did you study?"

"So, maybe some Philosophy."

"Philosophy! That figures. Was that your major?"

"Um – sort of."

"What do you mean 'sort of'?"

"Well, that was my graduate degree. For my undergraduate degree I did a joint literature/music degree with a minor in Art History."

There was dead silence in the room. To say Daniel was shocked was an understatement. He had always known Jack was a lot smarter than he let on – but God, the man was extremely educated. So maybe he wasn't good at science but he certainly had a wide and classic education. You had to be pretty smart to do a graduate degree in philosophy.

"So why the Air Force?" he finally managed to get out.

"It paid for my education. Plus, I'd always wanted to fly. By the time I could've gotten out I had been promoted and Sara and I were married. Charlie was on the way and it just seemed right to stay."

"Oh." Daniel didn't know quite what else to say. "So, anybody for a game of I spy?"

Jack leaned his head against the wall, glad that the other two couldn't see him. He had allowed Daniel to ferret out the information about his past but it had been surprisingly painful. He tried not to think about his years in university. He had been young and full of innocent idealism and hope. Then, he'd spent the years in the Air Force and he'd lost that sense of joy and wonder. He still listened to music and read the occasional piece of literature, but not as much as he would have liked. It tended to bring up too many regrets.

Still, it had been worth it to make Daniel and Sam forget about the trouble they were in, if even only for a while. Of course, if they ever got out of this latest disaster he knew he'd never live it down. Jackson was not going to conveniently forget this conversation.

Just then he heard the door swoosh open. It must be dinnertime, he thought (or maybe breakfast, they had no way of knowing). Instead of whoever it was just setting the food down and leaving, like they normally did, this time the person walked in and he could hear the door shut behind him.

"So, what do we have here?" a gruff voice said. This was someone they hadn't heard before. "These our newest slaves? Well, two of you look like likely ones – fetch a decent amount. You", Jack felt a kick in the side, "you're not worth much. I hear you're leg's shot and you're kind of old. Most people want the young ones."

"Good. Why don't you put me back then? I'm probably more trouble than I'm worth. Just let me go and they'll be no hard feelings."

The man laughed. "Yeah, if it were up to me I'd let you out right here and now." Since they were flying through space Jack decided he didn't particularly like that idea.

"Hey, who knows, maybe someone will take a liking to me?"

"Maybe, although I expect Rannulfus will sell you to Palinurus."

"Pali – who? Who's he?"

Again he laughed. "Your worst nightmare slave!"

There was silence and Jack could hear the man move over towards Sam. He sat up, worried about what was happening. God, if he could only see.

"Now this one here", the man spoke softly. "she'll fetch a lot. With hair like flax and those eyes – oh yes, some man will pay a lot for you." Jack heard a gasp from Sam and some scuffling. He waited to see what was going to happen.

"Are you a virgin, woman? If you are you'll be worth more."

"Stop it!" Sam's voice sounded muffled, as if the man was holding her closely.

"You okay Carter?" he asked, standing up.

"She's fine. In fact, she feels real good!" There was a sharp gasp from Sam, quickly cut off. At that Jack launched himself in the direction of the two people, praying he wouldn't hurt Carter.

He hit the slave trader, knocking him and Sam both over. He could hear some scuffling and hoped it was Sam moving to get away. Reaching out he managed to grasp one of the man's legs and pulled him closer. He then tried to keep a hold of him and keep him down. He knew it was a losing battle as he didn't have a firm enough grip and he couldn't see. After a second the man shouted at the top of his lungs. It wasn't long before the door open and others – he had no idea how many – rushed in. He was immediately pulled off Sam's attacker and forced to stand up.

"The bugger attacked me!"

"You probably deserved it Petrus", one of the other men in the room laughed. "I bet you couldn't keep your hands off the woman, isn't that right?"

"So, she's just a slave – a slut. What's wrong if I have a little fun?"

"What"s wrong?" said the voice Jack recognized as the man who had first spoken to them when they woke up. "What's wrong is this is valuable merchandise. If you ruin it before we've even made it to the market I may just have to kill you Petrus. You know you're not allowed to touch. She's a valuable piece and you are to keep your hands off of her."

Thank God, thought Jack. There was no real way he or Daniel could protect her, not in their present condition. Actually, he thought, Sam herself could have done a damn fine job of protecting herself if she weren't incapacitated like the rest of them.

"What about that one Rannulfus?" Petrus asked. "He attacked me. You know that's not allowed."

"No, you're right, it's not. He will be punished."

"Hey – I was just protecting the valuable – uh woman. Why should I be punished? I didn't ever hurt old Petrus." He had barely finished speaking when a heavily gloved hand hit him across the face, flinging him into the wall.

"Oooph" the air was knocked out of him. He was afraid a couple of teeth had gone as well. Certainly he could feel the blood from his torn cheek and mouth.

"You will be quiet slave." There was some rustling and the man continued. "Hear me all of you. You now belong to me – until I sell you to your new masters. As slaves you may not strike a free man – to do so is to be punished. You will learn to obey and if you do not, you will die. As of now you are nothing but property. Do you understand?"

None of them answered – refusing to acknowledge the slaver's words. Without warning Jack could feel himself being lifted to his feet. Uh oh. He wasn't looking forward to this.

"You will learn – all of you. First this one will be taught a lesson." There was a long pause, as if the slaver were considering something. "Now, since both of you are valuable property and should fetch a fair sum, I do not want to damage you – at least not now. That will be for your new masters. So I tell you this. Every time you disobey, this one" he grabbed Jack's hair, "this one here will be punished in your stead. Although you cannot see, you will hear his screams of pain. So, I suggest you obey."

Jack could hear the one called Rannulfus heading for the door. He stopped and spoke one last time. "Make sure he learns." With that the door closed and Jack was left with the others, how many he wasn't sure.

"Hey, I've learned. I'm pretty quick you know. Just ask Daniel – I'm much smarter than I look. So, you don't need to teach me anything. Just let me go and I'll be quiet, I promise." He knew that nothing he said was really going to change their plans but talking was a way of releasing nervous energy and would keep him from imagining what was to happen.

He'd been in this situation more times than he'd like to count in his life but somehow, this was worse. Part of the problem was that Daniel and Sam were here with him and he hated the thought of them – well, _hearing_ him being punished. The other was that being blind made him feel more helpless than normal. He could actually feel himself start to shake since he had no idea what they were going to do. He prayed they were just going to knock him around a bit.

Without warning the door opened again and he heard someone enter. He also heard the ominous sound of chains clinking. His arms were suddenly grabbed and held as manacles were attached to his wrists, a chain linking them together. He was then shoved face first against the wall. Two of the men then lifted him until the chain between his wrists caught on some kind of hook. They let him go and he was now dangling from his wrists a few inches above the floor. Okay, he thought, that really didn't feel good. The weight of his body was pulling on his wrists and he could feel the metal bracelets gouging into his skin. The pressure on his shoulders was also bad and he found it hard to breath.

He wasn't prepared when his leg was grabbed – the pain of his bad knee making him yelp in pain. He clamped down on his tongue, not wanting his teammates to hear him. He heard more sounds of metal and manacles were now placed around his ankles. This time, each manacle was attached separately to something in the wall. They'd felt various rings and hooks when they'd done a search of the room but couldn't figure out what they were for. Now he knew.

"Comfortable slave?" That sounded like Petrus. Great – it looked like he was going to take part in this little party.

"Yeah", Jack gasped. "I kinda felt like just hangin around today."

"Are you all right Jack?" Daniel's worried voice floated over.

"Just fine Danny."

One of the other men in the room laughed. "Not for long slave."

Damn – he was hoping that this was it. He waited, feeling the tension rise and his breathing and heart rate speed up. He wished they'd get on with it. The waiting was as bad as the punishment.

Or not! He screamed to himself as the first lash hit his back. Oh God, oh God. Go back to the waiting please! He desperately bit his cheeks, trying hard not to cry out as the lash hit him again and again.

He could feel the blood start to run down his back and onto his legs as the whipping continued. In between strikes he was sure he could hear Sam and Daniel yelling for them to stop but soon the pain drowned out any sounds.

As it went on and on the pain grew so bad he started to lose touch with reality. Soon there was a noise that started to bother him and was a backdrop to the pain. Someone was making an awful noise. He just wanted it to stop.

Soon the loud noise – was it someone screaming? – quieted to a whimper. It sounded like a puppy, he thought. He liked dogs – what was a dog doing here? His last thought, as consciousness faded, was that they needed to do something about the animal – it sounded like it was in pain.

Daniel and Sam listened in horror as they heard the crack of the whip and the gasp which followed. At first Jack was silent – only the occasional gasp of air or small whine. As the punishment continued, however, he soon began to cry out. Before long he was screaming, the pain too much to bear.

As bad as the screams were, thought Sam, they were better than the whimpers that followed. She had never heard her commander make sounds like that. He was so strong, so determined, that to hear him in such agony was dreadful. She could feel the tears running down her face.

"Oh God Daniel, they're killing him."

"Stop!" Daniel shouted. "For God's sake STOP! You're going to kill him. Please, please stop." Miraculously, the lashes stopped. Daniel thought it was more likely that Jack was unconscious – or dead – than the fact that they'd listened to him.

"Next time – if he lives – he won't be so quick to attack a free man. Remember and learn slaves!" They heard the rattling of chains and then a loud noise, as if something had fallen. They assumed it was Jack. They then heard the door open and everyone – they hoped – left.

"We have to help him Daniel."

"I know." She could hear Daniel moving along the floor and she followed as closely as she could.

Daniel reached out until he felt a boot. Carefully he worked his way up until he was touching Jack's chest. He quickly felt his neck and sighed when he found a pulse.

"He's alive."

"Oh thank God."

"We need to bandage him up." Daniel pulled off his jacket and then the shirt underneath. It wasn't clean but right now he knew they had to stop the bleeding. They also knew it was going to be bad.

While Daniel was ripping his shirt Sam carefully felt along Jack's torso. He was lying half on his side, half of his back. Taking a deep breath she reached around back. Her hand came away soaked in blood.

"Daniel, he's really bleeding. We have to get him on his stomach and bandage him quickly. I'm afraid he could bleed to death."

Carefully, as gently as possible, they rolled him onto his stomach and Sam tried to check the extent of his wounds. She knew the cuts were deep. They criss-crossed his back from shoulders to waist. There were even a few that were lower on his buttocks and upper thighs. Hopefully those weren't too bad. The ones on his back, however, were.

"Here Sam. This is all we have. He handed her the strips of his shirt but she knew it wouldn't be nearly enough. She'd have to sacrifice hers as well. She went to tell Daniel to begin the bandaging process when the door opened and someone walked in.

"Here." Something was thrown down beside them and then there was another sound of something being more carefully placed on the floor. "The cream will help keep the infection away. He'll probably die anyway but we figure we might be able to get some aureii for him – or more likely a couple of asses."

After the man had gone Sam reached over and felt for whatever he'd left. She picked it up and realized he'd left bandages – quite a few thankfully – and a jar of some kind of cream. As well, he'd placed a pitcher of water down beside the other supplies. She opened the jar and smelled it. It had a pleasant but rather medicinal smell. She prayed it would help.

"Here Daniel – he brought bandages. There's also some water. Help me try and clean him up.

They wet a couple of the bandages and gently tried to clean the Colonel's back. Sam then dabbed on some of the cream, although it was difficult. His back was so ripped up that it was extremely messy and she was sure the cream was running down his back as it mixed with his blood. Finally, they were able to put some folded bandaged on as compresses and wrap him in the bandages. By the time they were done he was completely covered from neck to below his waist. They'd had to undo his pants and pull them down so they could bandage some of the lower wounds. Fortunately Daniel had handled that part, as it had to be done by touch alone.

Once they were finished they covered him with their blankets. They'd each been given one and they knew it was important to keep him warm. The danger now was shock.

"Let's put him on his side Daniel, in the recovery position." Slowly, gently they moved him to his left side, trying to be careful not to open any of the wounds. Once they were done they checked him once more, relieved that he was still breathing.

"Oh God, that was horrible." Sam could feel the reaction setting in.

"I know. I don't know how he's still alive. I can still hear him screaming."

"You would have screamed too Daniel", she said angrily, defending the Colonel.

"Hey, I wasn't criticizing him. He's one of the bravest men I know. I can't believe he held on as long as he did."

"I'm sorry, I know. I just feel sick when I think about what they did and the agony they caused. What are we going to do?"

"Be strong. That's what Jack would want. And, we wait for any opportunity."

She reached out and checked the Colonel again. She was afraid that there'd be one time when she'd check and his breathing would have stopped.

"He's still wearing the manacles." She said softly. "I think we should bandage his wrists." She'd just noticed that they were wet with blood too.

"God, those bastards!" Once finished they both sat back but continued to check Jack every few seconds. So far he hadn't moved or made a sound. Sam prayed he'd stay unconscious for a while. He was going to be in terrible pain when he came to.

"Why did that man say he could get some asses for Jack?" she said, trying to take her mind off her wounded CO. "I wouldn't think they'd be interested in trading him for animals, not since they're on a ship."

"Asses?" asked Daniel. "Oh, you mean when he said he could get aureii or asses? Aureii are gold coins – asses aren't the animals – it's the plural of As. It's a unit of money. An As is the equivalent of a penny I guess. He was saying he probably could only get pennies for Jack now that he's hurt."

"I want to shoot them Daniel. I want to blow them apart with my P-90 and then zat them three times. I can't believe this. The Colonel was only trying to protect me and look what's happened."

"I know Sam – but that's him you know. Look, don't forget Teal'c. We still have our Ace in the hole."

"Yeah, if he can find us."

They sat quietly for the next few hours. They tried to get Jack to drink some water but he was still out cold.

As Daniel sat there, beside his friend, he couldn't help but think back to their earlier conversation. It had been so light hearted and fun – and yet so revealing.

"Why did this have to happen to you Jack? You should be at home listening to music and reading your Russian literature. You didn't deserve this."

The three members of SG1 continued to travel through space, their destination and their fate unknown.

_**Fatum Incompertus – Fate Unknown**_


	3. Famulatus

A soft groan woke her from her half sleep. She and Daniel had taken turns looking after Jack – least as much as they could with few supplies and the inability to see.

She reached out and gently touched his face. She could feel him move slightly, turning his head into her hand.

"mmmmm", he moaned.

"Sir, are you awake?" she whispered. She thought Daniel was still asleep.

"mmmmm, Car- ?"

"Yes Sir, it's me."

"Hurts", he said softly. "Please …make it stop."

She'd never heard him sound so – lost, so broken before."

"I'm sorry Colonel. I don't have anything." She reached out until she found his hand and then grasped it tightly. She could feel a slight bit of pressure as he tried to squeeze it. She didn't know if he was responding to her, or if he was using it to try and deal with the pain.

"Please!" he said again, this time a soft whimper in his voice.

"I'm here Colonel", she replied. With her other hand she carefully stroked his cheek. God, what she wouldn't give for some painkillers. She could feel his breathing start to speed up as the pain spiked. He began to try and move, anything to relieve the pain, but that only made it worse. He cried out and the sound nearly broke her heart.

"Jack?" Daniel's voice came out of the darkness that surrounded all three of them. "We're here Jack. Just hold on. I know it hurts. Just try and relax and go to sleep."

"Hurts Danny", he whimpered again. Sam was pretty sure he was not truly aware of where he was or what he was saying. She knew the very private and stoic man would feel terrible if he knew he was showing his pain so openly.

"I know Jack, I know."

"Carter … okay?" he asked breathlessly.

"I'm fine Sir. I'm right here beside you."

"Can't … let 'em hurt … Carter." he groaned.

"We won't Jack. We won't let them hurt her. Don't worry."

"Watch her …'kay?"

"I'll watch her Jack. Just rest."

"Hurts."

"I know Jack. Everything is going to be okay, don't worry."

There was silence, marred only by the distressed breathing of the Colonel. Sam could feel the tightness in her throat as she realized he was thinking of her, even though he was in terrible pain.

"Please … take it …. away."

"Take what away Sir?" she leaned in closer to him and asked.

"Pain …please!"

She could feel Daniel's hand this time, reaching for her. She grasped it and they held on to each other, trying to give comfort to one another as they listened to the suffering of their friend and commander.

"Oh God Daniel, I don't know what to do."

"I know. We'll just have to stay close to him. Let's try and give him some water."

She should have thought of that, she realized. Scooting to the area where they had left the pitcher she brought it closer. "You're going to have to help lift him a bit Daniel."

"Crap! That's going to hurt."

"I know, but we can't let him get dehydrated. He's lost too much blood." Taking a deep breath Daniel leaned down.

"Jack, I'm going to help you sit up and take a drink. It's going to hurt but you need to have some water okay?"

"No … hurts." He could feel the Colonel start to move his head, not wanting to sit up.

"Come on Jack." Daniel lifted his shoulders up and Jack groaned loudly.

" 'kay"

"Come on, just a little water and I'll let you down." He knew it was vital for Jack to drink. Finally the Colonel took some sips, desperate to lie down again.

"There." Daniel put him down as gently as he could. "Try to sleep Jack."

Soon they could hear the Colonel's breath slow until he was sleeping – or unconscious. They were both relieved, knowing how much pain he was in.

For the rest of the day they tried to make him drink anytime he awoke. Fortunately it was only for brief moments, the pain too bad for him to stay awake for long.

Over the next couple of days – at least they thought that's how long it was – the Colonel continued to suffer the agony of his shredded back. Whatever the cream was that they'd been given did seem to keep any infection from starting, which was lucky, as he probably wouldn't have survived otherwise. Still, it was a horrible time for him and one that his friends hated to watch.

"Hey Carter." She heard his voice calling her softly. It was the first time he'd sounded as if he were fully aware of his surroundings.

"Sir?" She slid over until she could touch him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap". He spoke so softly she could barely hear him. "Where's … Daniel?"

"I'm here Jack." He could hear more movement and then Daniel's voice, louder now. "How are you doing?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" the Colonel whined. "How do you think I feel?"

Both Daniel and Sam felt a sense of relief upon hearing O'Neill start to complain. They knew that meant he was on the road to recovery – although they expected it would be a long one.

"Well, considering the fact that you've been sick for days I would think it's a normal question. We were worried Jack."

"Yeah. ….well …. I'm okay." He paused and then whispered, "Thank you."

"It's all right Sir, you don't need to thank us. I should thank you. You were hurt trying to protect me."

"Yeah, and why did I do that Carter? It's not like you can't take care of yourself! Remember those Shady eye people."

"Uh, the Shavedai Sir?"

"Yup … those guys. Didn't she whup their butts Daniel?"

"Yes Jack, she did." The two younger members of the team both knew what he was up to. Leave it to Jack to deflect the attention off of him.

"Well Sir, I'm still grateful."

"No problem Carter." Jack's voice was beginning to sound weak again. They knew he must still be in a lot of pain but at least it didn't seem so unbearable now.

"Jack, you need to drink some more."

"Daniel, what is it with you? You've been shoving water down me for – how long?"

"We think it's been about three days Sir."

"God. That long?"

"Yes Jack and you need to drink. You lost a lot of blood."

"Okay, okay. You're as bad as Frasier."

"Why thank you Colonel!"

He helped Jack sit up and, even though he couldn't see him, the hitch in Jack's breathing spoke loudly as to how excruciating it still was. Jack drank as much as he could.

"Put me back down Daniel", Jack said softly. He felt like he was going to pass out.

After that Jack slowly started to gain strength, although he was unable to move much at all. His back still showed no signs of infection as far as they could tell without looking at it. It seemed like it was starting to heal but he had a long way to go.

It must have been four or five days after he was lashed that the doors opened and more than one person entered. All three occupants were silent, not sure what was happening.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Daniel objected loudly and they heard a struggle. Things were quiet until,

"Ow! What was that? Oh God."

"Daniel, what is it?" Jack tried to sit up. He was agonizing over the fact that he couldn't see what was happening and was unable to do anything to help his friend.

Before Daniel could answer he heard a noise from Sam and then she yelped.

"What is it? What's happening?" The men in the room simply laughed and then Jack heard the door open and close and they were gone. He was terrified something bad had happened to Sam and Daniel.

"Guys? What is it? What happened?"

"They put something in my eyes." Daniel gasped.

"Mine too Sir. It burns."

Jack listened as his two teammates obviously struggled to get themselves under control. Finally, after about five minutes Daniel spoke.

"I'm beginning to see some light. I think maybe that was the antidote they spoke about. Damn! They should have warned us it would hurt. Can you see anything Sam?"

"Yes, things are fuzzy but my sight is definitely coming back. What about you Sir? Didn't they give you the drops?"

"No", he answered shortly. He prayed they planned to come back. He felt so helpless.

"Maybe they'll wait until you're better. It could be they don't want to do it when you're still recuperating."

"Yeah, I expect that's it Carter." Actually, he figured that wasn't it at all. He was pretty sure this was a further step in his punishment. He just hoped they'd change their minds soon and give him the antidote so he could see.

It took a couple of hours but by the end of that time both Daniel and Sam's eyes had returned to normal. While they were overjoyed, they were troubled by the fact that Jack was still blind.

What was almost worse was the fact that they could now see the shape the Colonel was in. Daniel looked at Sam in shock. Jack looked like death. Not only was he pale and gaunt, his cheeks sunken in, but he was covered in blood. Not being able to see meant they hadn't been able to clean him properly. He looked like something out of a horror movie.

"Sir, I'd like to take a look at your back."

"I'm sure it's fine Carter." Jack replied. He didn't like having to have the bandages removed. Not only did it hurt, but he figured his back was a mess and he really didn't want his teammates to have to see that.

"Sorry Sir, but it's important. I'm going to put some more of this cream on. It seems to help."

It was another day before anyone returned other than to give them food and water. This time it was Rannulfus who returned. They had decided he must be the leader of this merry little band of slavers.

"You will get ready", he said bluntly. Daniel and Sam got their first real look at him. He was big and dark, and wouldn't have been an unattractive man except for the vicious scar that ran from his left forehead diagonally across his face, over the bridge of his nose, and all the way down to his neck on the right side. Someone clearly had taken a swipe at him with some kind of sharp object. It's a miracle it didn't kill him, thought Sam. Her next thought was too bad it hadn't."

"Ready for what?" Jack asked from his position on the floor.

"For you – well, I'll let that be a surprise, for these others – the slave block. They'll fetch some good money."

"What are you planning to do with the Colonel?" Daniel asked, worried.

"The Colonel? Oh, you mean that one?" He nudged Jack with his toe. "I won't even bother to try and sell him at auction. He's not worth anything. I'll take him to Palinurus and get a few asses for him." He turned and walked to the door. "We'll be landing in five minutes."

"Hey wait", shouted Daniel. The man stopped and turned.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to give him the antidote?"

"Why?", Rannulfus laughed. "Where he's going he doesn't need to see." With that he walked out and the door closed behind him.

When the silence had continued for a few minutes Jack spoke. "Hey, don't worry about it Daniel. Teal'c is going to come to our rescue and fortunately you guys can see. I'll just wait for you to come save my ass. Hey! An ass saved is an as earned!"

When no one laughed he sighed and lay back down. He felt more helpless than ever – and frightened – but there was no way he was going to let on. He needed Daniel and Sam to stay strong.

"Look kids", he turned towards where he knew they were sitting. "You have to keep strong and out of trouble. Wherever you end up, keep your eyes open and watch for an opportunity. Remember this Palinurus guy so you'll know where I'll be. Take your opportunity when you can but don't do anything stupid. You know me! I'm tough and I'll survive, especially if I know you two are safe. It won't be long and we'll all head home and I'll treat you to a beer and pizza!"

"I'd rather have steak! But you're on."

"Sounds good Sir."

Jack knew that both his 'kids' were trying hard to sound confident and make him feel better but he also knew they were frightened and unsure. So he tried one last time.

"It's important that you believe. You've got to believe we're getting out of this. Even when things look bad, don't give up hope. It's only when you have no hope that you'll have failed."

No one said anything for a minute and then Sam spoke.

"You're right Colonel. We _will_ get out of this and we'll come and get you. Don't worry – we won't let you down."

"I know you won't Major. I know you won't."

A short while later they could tell that the ship had landed. It didn't take long before someone came and got them. Daniel and Sam were taken first, their hands tied behind their backs. Then it was his turn.

He was made to stand even though he almost fell over, weak and dizzy. They didn't care, just forced him to walk forward, blind and still bound in the manacles on his wrists and ankles. He was dragged forward until they got outside.

It was blazing hot – he could feel the sun beat down on his shoulders. It felt good at first, after having been stuck in a ship for days, but he knew it would get uncomfortable pretty quickly.

The next thing he noticed was the smell of horses. That was a surprise – the juxtaposition of high tech in the ship to what seemed like a pre-industrial society was unusual. He wondered where they had landed.

He heard some of the men speaking in a foreign language. It took him a few minutes to realize they were speaking Latin – or at least a form of it. He understood some of the words, which kind of surprised him. He hadn't realized he'd retained that much from the time loop. Still, he didn't understand everything, just a word here and there.

He was dragged forward again. He fell a couple of times, which didn't help his weak knee any. He was immediately yanked to his feet and pulled along. He stopped when he ran into a solid object. It was when he was suddenly lifted and thrown forward that he realized that the object was a wagon.

He lay there trying to catch his breath and let the pain from his back calm down. He groaned slightly and tried to roll over when hands reached out and helped him.

"Daniel?"

"Yes, it's me. Sam and I are both here. It looks like they're going to take us from here in the wagons. I overheard one of the Jaffa talking and I guess the people of this planet don't know anything about space travel so they land here and continue using horses."

"I heard someone speaking Latin."

"Yeah. Based on the dress and the vehicles this looks like it's similar to the culture of Ancient Rome. It would fit with the fact that we're being sold as slaves. At one time in Rome slaves outnumbered citizens by about four to one."

"Lovely. I always wanted to fit in with the popular crowd." Jack snorted.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say they were popular. Slaves were treated pretty badly in Rome."

"Yeah, I kind of got that Danny." He laid back and tried to relax as the wagon moved out. He knew the Romans were responsible for building roads but man, if these were the same as what they'd built on earth he was less than impressed. As they traveled he lost count of the number of potholes they hit. He was sure his teeth were all going to be loosened by the time they arrived at their destination.

They spent the day roasting in the open wagon so it was a relief when the sun started to go down and the air grew a little cooler. They finally stopped for the night and someone brought them food and drink but no blankets. After a while it began to grow chilly and they went from being hot to being cold. Daniel and Sam lay down on either side of him to help keep him – and themselves – warm.

"What's this?" he asked. "A Colonel sandwich?"

"We're just trying to butter you up Jack."

"Funny!"

They left at first light the next day. They hadn't traveled for too many hours when he began to notice a change.

"We're coming to a town." Sam told him.

"Looks bigger than a town." answered Daniel. "It's a pretty good size."

Jack struggled to sit up, although what difference it made he didn't know. Still, he felt less vulnerable than when he was lying down.

It didn't take long before the wagon slowed and they were surrounded by the sounds and smells of a big town. They could hear voices shouting; merchants selling their wares, what sounded like someone haggling over a purchase, a mother yelling at her child. Jack found that he was starting to understand more as he went along. At least that was one good thing, he thought.

The wagon came to a stop and they heard shouting. Running footsteps approached the wagon

"I think we're here."

"Describe it to me Daniel."

"Well, it's some kind of a compound. In the middle is an open area with a raised platform and around three sides are some kind of wooden buildings."

"Hey, watch out!" Daniel shouted as men reached in a grabbed him. Next they took Sam.

"Sir!" He could hear Carter call to him as they were taken away. Soon he was alone.

The wagon started up again and he leaned back, his heart beating madly. He didn't know where they were taking him, but wherever it was, he was sure it was going to be bad. He was also worried about his teammates. He prayed Daniel and Sam were going to be okay.

The two younger members of SG1 were dragged forward and towards one of the buildings in the compound, Rannulfus walking slightly ahead. Just as they arrived at the first building a very fat, overdressed man walked out.

Daniel leaned over and whispered to Sam. "Looks like a Goa'uld, doesn't he." She knew what Daniel meant. The man was overdressed with robes of scarlet and gold. Every finger had a gaudy ring and he even wore a gold hoop earring. He wasn't a Goa'uld though. At least she couldn't feel any Naquada.

"I think he's just a bad dresser", she whispered back. One of their guards prodded her in the back and told her to 'be quiet'.

"Rannulfus!" the heavy man greeted their captor effusively. "It is so good to see you my friend. I see you've brought me some likely looking merchandise!"

"Yes Adipos, some very good merchandise. They're both strong and healthy, and as you can see, quite attractive."

"Hmmm, not that young Rannulfus." He walked over and grabbed Sam's jaw. She tried to jerk her head away but the man held on tightly. As she looked at him she recognized that his jovial nature was a front. His small piercing eyes were some of the cruelest she'd ever seen. There was nothing soft about this man other than his flesh.

"Young enough and healthy. They're also educated."

"I don't care if the woman is educated – no one wants that in a woman. The man, well, that might be something we can advertise. He'd be good for physical labor as well."

"Yes so you see, they're versatile. I expect they'll have a lot of people bidding for them. Make the price go higher."

"Maybe, although my buyers like them younger. They're easier to train when they're young. By this age you often have to beat the defiance out of them." He glanced at Daniel and then back at Sam. He reached over and began to pat her down. Again she tried to jerk away but one of the guards grabbed her tied hands and held on so she couldn't move.

"We'll have to strip her so they can see her body. These clothes are ugly and are for a man." He looked Sam in the eye. "Are you a virgin my dear?" he asked.

She refused to answer so he put his hand in her hair and pulled her closer, so her face was inches from his. "When I ask you a question you will answer slave! If you don't then I will have one of my men check to see." He stopped and leered. "Or maybe I'll do it myself!"

As he spoke he continued to tug on her hair, which caused her eyes to tear up. Knowing from his expression that he was serious about his threat she shook her head.

"No my dear you are to tell me. Are you a virgin?"

"No", she finally said in a quiet voice. She closed her eyes, feeling humiliated. For the first time she was glad the Colonel wasn't here. It was bad enough that Daniel was. It wasn't that she was ashamed – she was a mature woman after all – but being forced to talk about it in front of these men – and a friend - made her feel violated.

"Too bad. I could have gotten more for you. As it is she'll probably be sold as a household slave." He turned to Rannulfus. "She's too old for a brothel. They like them very young – and they usually want virgins."

"Come on Adipos – you know very well these are fine specimens. They're strong and healthy; you'll get a good price for them. If you want me to continue to bring my merchandise here you'll give me a fair deal, otherwise next time I'll go to Nigellus."

"My friend, my friend. Of course I'll give you a good price. I wouldn't cheat my friend Rannulfus. But times are tough and I have to watch my money."

"Times are tough?" Rannulfus scoffed. "You have more money than you know what to do with Adipos; almost as much money as you have fat. Come on now, what will you offer for these two?"

"I'll give you ten aureii for the man and five for the woman."

"What! Are you crazy? The man is worth at least double that and the woman is worth at least twelve. She's strong and she'll work well."

The two haggled back and forth for the next ten minutes while Daniel and Sam stood seething. Both of them kept remembering Jack's words and knew that now was not the right time to do or say anything. It would only get them in trouble. They would have to pick their time – but standing there, being treated like an object and sold was almost more than either of them could take.

Finally the deal was done, to the satisfaction of both parties. Rannulfus pocketed his money and turned, with his men, and walked away – not even glancing back at the two whose lives he'd ripped apart.

Daniel leaned over. "I'm going to find him one day and tear his heart out."

"Do you think he has one?" answered Sam. "But I know what you mean." The rope around her wrists suddenly jerked and she was pulled forward again. She saw Daniel being forced in another direction. "Daniel!" she called, as she was taken by the slaver through one of the doors. She prayed she'd see her friends again soon.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

They traveled for a while longer although Jack had pretty much lost all sense of time or direction. Soon he started to smell something different. He couldn't tell what it was at first, overlayed as it was by so many other smells, but eventually he realized it was water, salt water to be exact. They were getting close to a sea or ocean. Damn, he hoped he wasn't going to be taken too far away from Carter or Daniel.

The wagon stopped and again he was pulled out. Someone grabbed the chains between his wrists and dragged him forward. Every time he stumbled and fell he was immediately jerked to his feet. He protested once but all that got him was a whack across the face so he quickly decided to shut up and just deal with it.

The noise changed and he could tell they'd reached the edge of the water. He could hear the sound of the waves slapping up against something – what he wasn't sure. It was as he was taken across a narrow platform that his worst fears were realized. He was being taken onto a ship.

"What's this?" a rough voice asked. Jack listened intently to the Latin the men were speaking. It was coming back to him very quickly and he understood almost everything that was being said – if not the complete translation, at least he got the overall sense of it.

"Rannulfus has sent him for Palinurus. Told me to tell him that he'll collect when he's back in the autumn."

"Okay. We need some new flesh – we lost three the last voyage."

"Hard to keep slaves?"

"Yes – they don't last long out here. What's wrong with his eyes?"

"He was given Caecusia to keep him from escaping. Rannulfus decided not to give him the antidote – says he's less dangerous this way, that he'd be trouble otherwise."

"Trouble eh? Well, he doesn't need his eyes for what he'll be doing so it's probably a good thing." Suddenly the rough voice man shouted. "Phrixus, we've got a new slave. Come and deal with him."

Jack could hear the sound of someone drawing near when, without warning, his legs were kicked out from underneath him and he was thrown to the deck. He could feel a heavy foot being placed in the small of his back. It began to press down and he could tell some of the cuts on his back were torn open.

"You listen", a new voice spoke. "You are nothing but a slave and will do as you are told. You will not speak unless given permission. You will not look any freeman or woman in the eye. Do you understand me slave?"

Okay, so he knew it was stupid and went against everything he'd told Daniel and Sam, but there was no way in hell he was going to agree with this moron. The man repeated his words and when Jack wouldn't answer the second time his head was lifted and his face was bashed into the floor. He groaned and wondered if his nose was broken.

"You'll learn slave, don't worry. For now we have to get you out of these clothes. They are not appropriate for a slave."

The next thing he knew the clothes were literally cut off his body. He was pulled to his feet and the man proceeded to cut the bandages off. Soon he was standing completely naked.

"Looks like this one's already been punished."

"He told us this one was trouble."

"Really? I'll have to keep my eye on him. I'll break him of that soon enough."

Jack could feel himself start to shake. Partly it was from cold, partly from reaction to the horror of the situation. He still didn't know what was going to happen to him although he was starting to get an idea. He prayed he was wrong.

He suddenly felt a piece of cloth touching his arm. "Put this on", Phrixus he guessed it was, told him. He took the cloth but had no idea what to do with it.

"You'd rather go naked?" the man asked.

"No", he answered shortly. That earned him a slap.

"Here" he was grabbed and held while Phrixus – or as he referred to him silently – the 'Phrick!" put the cloth on him like a diaper. Great! Just what he'd always wanted.

Once he was 'dressed' (at least he wasn't totally naked although he was still cold) he was marched down some stairs. The rank odor hit him like a brick wall. He could smell a combination of sea air, unwashed bodies – and what smelled like a particularly bad outhouse. Lovely!

He also heard a rustling noise but he couldn't figure out what it was. The Phrick suddenly spoke.

"We have a new slave! You are to make sure he knows what he is to do – and what he is not to do." Jack was pushed forward again and then to the side. He fell over a seated body and was instantly yanked to his feet. He moved forward, trying to climb over whoever it was he'd fallen over and then was made to sit. He found himself on a wooden bench of some kind, squashed between two other people. He could feel naked thighs pressing on him on either side and his shoulders barely had enough room, squashed as they were between the two other – men – he was pretty sure.

He heard the sound of metal clanging and then his ankles were grabbed. A chain was passed through the manacles around each ankle. Next, his arms were pulled forward and the chain between them was attached to something in front of him. He reached and felt a pole, which seemed to move slightly.

"There slave. Welcome to your new home. Get used to it because here is where you'll live the rest of your life." There was laughter and the footsteps receded. He could feel an overwhelming sense of despair as he realized where he was. It seemed like something out of a Hollywood movie, but he knew, in fact, that it was real.

He was a galley slave. Unless he was found he would spend the rest of his life chained here, his life nothing but pulling on the oar in front of him. He knew he had to hang on, to keep hoping, but also knew it would be hard. He was sure people didn't survive for long here – at least not without going mad.

'Carter', he cried silently, 'Daniel, Teal'c, please find me soon'!

_**Famulatus - Slavery**_


	4. Videre

_**A few historical notes: the treatment of slaves in Ancient Rome was horrific and anything that I include in the story from here on out is based on fact, including how they were sold in the market (like being stripped and having a sign placed around their necks advertising their attributes). Up until the later Empire slaves had no rights and could be tortured and killed according to their Master's whim. The more highly educated slaves – and personal servants – tended to be treated better but this wasn't always the case. Country slaves were generally treated much more harshly than city slaves and the work was back breaking! It was also common for women slaves' heads to be shaved and to use their hair for wigs for upper-class women.**_

_**If a slave killed his or her master it wasn't just he/she who suffered – all slaves in the household would be put to death; a great deterrent! Lashings, scourging, branding, cutting off various body parts, breaking of bones – and crucifixion – were all common in the punishment or execution of slaves.**_

_**The only 'non-historical' piece in my story (except for the blinding) is the part about the galley slaves. That is pure Hollywood (Ben-Hur!). Romans didn't tend to use slaves or criminals on their galleys. It was actually considered an honored profession and was carried out by free-men. It wasn't until the 15**__**th**__** and 16**__**th**__** centuries that slaves/criminals were used on galleys. But hey – this is my story!**_

_**I hope you enjoy – and sorry for the whumping but in this case it is accurate. It will get better I promise – and I also promise 'no-whumping' in my next story. **_

She was shoved into a room with about twenty other women and young girls. It looked like there were some as young as ten or twelve and many in their late teens and early twenties. She was one of the oldest although there were a couple who could have been in their forties. It was hard to tell though. They could have been younger. She expected that women aged very quickly in this society.

The terror in the air was palpable. Many of the younger girls were crying and clinging to women who were probably their mothers. She felt sick at the thought that they were most likely going to be separated. If what Daniel had told her before they'd arrived was true, many of these young women and girls were slated for the brothel.

She prayed she was too old for that. She didn't know how she would survive if that was her fate. She suspected she would attempt to kill the first man who tried to use her that way and that would probably mean her own death. As she looked around the room she too felt like crying.

She wondered how Daniel was faring. She hated the fact that they separated the men and women. She just hoped that she would get to see him again and at least find out where he was going. It would be terrible if they were separated without any idea where the other person was taken.

She'd have to see if she could find out anything about this man Palinurus and where he was. If that's where Jack had been taken at least they'd have a place to start looking if, she stopped herself – no _when_ they escaped. But for now all she could do was sit and wait.

Daniel was in a similar room but surrounded by men and boys. Many of the men looked as if they had been in a fight, or a battle. He wondered if they had been soldiers and had been taken captive. He knew that's how most slaves were acquired in Ancient Rome. It made him wonder if this city or state was engaged in a war. He'd have to ask around.

He listened carefully until he could find someone who was speaking a language he could understand. Most of the men didn't seem to be speaking Latin, which was further evidence that they were captives. Eventually he heard someone who seemed to be speaking a form of German. Walking up to him he spoke, trying to find out some more information.

Although it was a little difficult to make himself understood and to understand, eventually he gathered some information. He found out that they were in the city-state of Adrano, which had been engaged in a war with the Alemanni for over 30 years. Most of the slaves came from several of the different tribes of the Alemanni, which explained why there were so many languages spoken here.

If they were getting their slaves from conquered peoples, Daniel wondered why the slavers had gone to all the trouble of kidnapping them and bringing them from another world. After talking for a while longer he was able to discover that the Adrano forces had not been doing well in recent years and there was, in fact, a growing shortage of slaves. It meant, of course, that the ones that there were could be sold at a premium.

As the day went on Daniel found himself a place to sit, leaning up against the wall. So far they hadn't been brought any food or water and he expected they wouldn't be. He couldn't help but think and worry about Sam and especially about Jack. He'd tried to make enquiries about the man Jack was to be sold to but no one seemed to know anything. It wasn't surprising, really. None of the men were from around here.

It was early the next morning when a number of guards came and started grabbing the men, two or three at a time. He could hear the crowds outside the building and expected that the auction was starting.

It was almost mid afternoon before it was his turn. He was taken to a small antechamber and was made to strip. He wanted to argue but the three big guards just looked at him and he decided against it. Once he was finished, and standing naked, another man came in and started to check him over. It was, without a doubt, the most humiliating experience he'd ever been through.

Finally finished, the man took a wooden sign and proceeded to write something on it. He then took a string, threaded it through holes in each corner of the sign and looped it around Daniel's neck. He was officially for sale.

A rope was tied around his wrists and he was dragged forward and led up to the platform where a half a dozen other men were standing, also naked and with signs. Looking at the plaques around each person's neck he realized they advertised the person's 'attributes'. He glanced down, trying to read what they'd said about him. It was difficult looking at it upside down but he could see the words 'healthy', 'strong', 'all teeth'. He had trouble reading the last one but finally figured out it said 'virile'. Crap – that had been the most embarrassing part of the whole test. He really wondered what difference that would make to a perspective buyer. He just prayed they didn't plan on him going into a brothel, or becoming the play-thing of some wealthy pervert.

By this time he was so parched he would have given anything for a sip of water. It was another hot day and he was standing with the sun blazing down on him. He hoped this wouldn't take long – although he had to laugh ironically over the fact that he was wishing they'd hurry up and sell him.

He looked around to see if he could see any of the women slaves, or any sight of Sam, but saw nothing. He prayed she wasn't already sold and gone.

Finally it was his turn. He was pulled up to the front of the stage and the auctioneer began to extol his virtues. It seemed as if he was quite versatile. He was strong and would make a good laborer but he was also educated so could be used as a household slave, a scholar, or even a teacher to a family's children. He really prayed for either of the latter two.

In other circumstances he would have been flattered at the vigorous competition that went on over him. There were two people especially who seemed very interested in him. One looked like a servant from a wealthy household, the other was a very creepy looking man who kept eyeing him in a way that sent shivers up his spine. He had no doubt what this man wanted him for. He prayed that someone, anyone else, would buy him. He really didn't think he could survive being sold to this man.

He glanced over to where Adipos was standing, rubbing his hands in glee. Yes, he was going to make a killing over this sale!

"Sold!" Daniel glanced back quickly having missed who the final bidder had been. God, please let it be the servant, he thought. He was taken to a cage where a number of the other sold slaves were being kept. He guessed he'd be held here until his new 'owner' paid for him.

It looked like he had been one of the last of the male slaves to be sold. He heard some ribald laughter and then a group of women were brought out. They too were naked with signs around their necks. Most of them were in tears, especially the younger ones. Shit! He wanted to kill these people. He could barely look – the sight of what was being done to these women making him sick.

He watched as one by one the women were sold. They too were put into a cage, waiting for their owners to pick them up.

Daniel saw that the scary man who had bid for him also bought a number of the women. He must be from a brothel, he decided. He pitied the women – and again hoped he wasn't going to join them.

He heard some murmuring, which grew louder as a new group was brought out. When he saw Sam he realized why. Her unique coloring was capturing a lot of attention. Most the men and women had a very Mediterranean look about them, with dark hair and eyes. There were even some with even darker skin but none with blond hair and blue eyes.

He was incredibly proud of Sam as he saw her walk out with her head held high. She was not going to cry and scream, although she must be terrified. He could see that she was extremely pale, and she held her hands firmly clasped, probably to keep the crowd from seeing them shaking. As she was brought to the stage he saw her look around. When she finally caught his eye she gave him a small smile, which he returned. He also signed to her – telling her to be strong and not give up hope. She nodded and smiled again.

The bidding began again and three women were sold. It was then Sam's turn. The brothel-owner bid again and it was evident he really wanted her. Fortunately there was someone else in the bidding. A servant was speaking to a richly dressed woman who seemed to be instructing him to purchase Sam.

Again it was a ferocious bidding session but in the end the woman won. Daniel breathed a huge sigh of relief and he was sure he saw Sam do the same. She was taken to the woman's cage and the bidding went on.

It was early evening before anyone came to collect him. He almost dropped in relief when he saw it was the servant who had been bidding for him that came and collected him. The man, he actually introduced himself as 'Nicia', spoke a few words to him and didn't seem to be mean or aggressive. Maybe he'd lucked out.

As he was loaded into the back of another wooden wagon he saw Sam being led away by the servant of the woman. They looked at each other one last time, again communicating to each other. He turned to Nicia and asked softly,

"Do you know who that is?" he pointed to the servant who was now helping the well dressed woman into the front seat of the wagon.

"That? That is Dame Acquilina. Why do you want to know?"

"She bought my friend. We were brought here together."

"Well, you'd best forget about her now. You will not see her again."

"Why not?" He hoped Sam wasn't being taken to some far-off place.

"Our Master will have nothing to do with Dame Acquilina."

"Really? Why?"

"You'd better learn not to ask so many questions. You are a slave now and have no right to know anything your Master does not want you to know. In this case it's probably wise, however." Nicia stopped and looked up at Daniel. "Our Lord, Aetius and Acquilina are brother and sister but do not speak."

"Sibling rivalry", Daniel asked. When Nicia stared at him he apologized. "Why don't they speak?"

"Aetius accused her of killing their father."

"My God! And did she?"

"I expect so. She is an evil one, that one. She wanted to marry a man of whom her father did not approve. The next thing anyone knew he was dead – poisoned."

"And did she marry the man?"

"Yes. He also died of poisoning three years later. She was left a very rich woman."

"Why hasn't she gotten into trouble for it?"

"She is wealthy and powerful – and there was no real proof, just a lot of rumors."

"Wow. Crap, is Sam going to be okay?"

"Who is this 'Sam'?"

"My friend. The one she bought."

Again Nicia just stared at him and then shrugged his shoulders. "Sit quietly. We will be home shortly and you will be taken to your quarters and given some clothing. Look after it well. You will not receive any more for the year."

Great! At least he did get clothes. He really hated being led naked through all these people. As they rumbled along the bumpy road he thought back to Sam. He hoped the rumors were false; otherwise she had ended up in the home of a wicked murderous.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

By the time they had arrived at the villa where Acquilina, her new Mistress, lived Sam was almost incoherent with exhaustion and stress. Thankfully she'd been given a rough cloak and was told to cover herself – even her hair. It made the trip hot but was better than being on display. She'd wanted to crawl into a hole and die when she'd been stripped and made to walk in front of the leering crowd. She'd been thankful it was a woman who had ultimately bought her.

As they traveled back she began to revise her opinion on that. The behavior of the woman, and the palpable fear of her servants made her realize that a harsh and demanding mistress had purchased her. The woman had looked at her with contempt and something akin to hatred, which Sam couldn't understand as she had said and done nothing.

As soon as they'd arrived Acquilina had told one of the servants to find clothes for her. They were also instructed to cover her hair – no one was to see it. Sam was taken into a building which seemed to house the slaves. An older woman told her to follow and she was led into a room with a number of pallets on the floor. This was the women's quarters, she was told. She was shown one of the pallets and was informed that that was hers.

"You own nothing. You will be given clothing once a year and a cloak and wooden patens every two years. You will keep nothing else. If you are caught with anything you will be whipped. The second time you are caught you will have your hand cut off. I suggest you obey." The woman walked out and returned a few minutes later with a simple dress. It was sleeveless and fell straight to the ground. There was a string which she was told she was to tie up under her breasts. The material was rough and very scratchy but there was no underwear. She was also given a rough cloak and a pair of wooden clogs for her feet.

"There are the rags for use during your menses." She indicated a basket full of ripped pieces of cloth. "You are to remain in the room at that time and are not to be in the presence of the Mistress." The woman waited until Sam was dressed, insisting that her head be wrapped in a strip of cloth, and then indicated she was to follow her. She took her to what was the kitchen and began to instruct her on her day. None of the other women who were present even glanced her way. Either this was an everyday occurrence or they were too frightened of the older woman. She expected it was the latter.

"You will wake up before sunrise and fetch the water and fill this cistern." She pointed to a well in the back courtyard and then to a large trough in the kitchen. Sam figured it was going to take her quite a few trips each day to fill it.

"When you are finished you will eat and then you are to work in the kitchen until after Prandium (lunch). When the Mistress has eaten you will then work in the laundry until Vesperna (dinner) following which you will clean the dishes. When that is done you will go to bed."

"Is that all?" Sam asked sarcastically. She received a swift slap in return.

"You will not be insolent or I will inform the mistress. If you wish to live without punishment you will be quiet and obedient and do the tasks you are assigned."

"Do we get any time off?" Sam asked, careful to keep the anger from her voice.

"Time off? Who do you think you are? A citizen?" The woman laughed. "Be grateful you will be fed. That is all a slave like you deserves." She pointed to the stack of dishes over on the table. "You may start by cleaning those."

Sam slowly walked over and looked at the mess of dishes. She wanted to break down and cry. She was hungry, thirsty, tired and frightened. She knew she was going to have to get out of here as soon as humanly possible.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It didn't take long for the cart carrying Daniel and the other servant to reach Aetius' house. It was a large mansion in the middle of the town. Although the front of the house was built right up to the street, as soon as they doors opened Daniel could see an open courtyard to the back. He looked down as he entered, mesmerized by the beautiful mosaic tile on the floor.

Even though he felt terrible over everything that was happening, a part of him couldn't help but look on in fascination. He was getting a real-live view of what life in Ancient Rome must have been like. It also dawned on him that these people must have somehow been taken from ancient earth during the Roman period and transplanted here. That certainly meant Goa'uld interference and the likelihood of a gate somewhere on the planet. He would have to explore that possibility.

"Did you find one Nicia?" a voice called from one of the back rooms.

"I did Master Aetius."

"Well, bring him here." Nicia nodded his head towards one of the closed doors.

"You will be respectful. He is a good master and treats us well. Do not do anything to harm him or the other slaves will make sure you suffer."

Great, he thought. Now not only did he have to escape from his 'owner' he now had to watch out for the other slaves.

Nicia reached around and opened the door. "Here he is Master."

"Come in, come in."

Getting a nod from Nicia, Daniel walked into the room. It was rather dark, shutters covering the windows along one side of the room. As his eyes grew accustomed to the lack of light he noticed there were more mosaics on the floor. He then saw a number of tables with scrolls laid out on top. In baskets all along the walls there were more of the scrolls.

He may have just lucked out, he realized. If this wasn't the room of a scholar he didn't know anything.

"Who are you?" the man sitting in the chair asked.

"I am Daniel", Sir."

"You may call me Master Aetius."

"Yes Sir." He replied. He really didn't know if he could call anyone Master – except maybe Bratac, but that meant something totally different. At the same time he didn't want to cause trouble from the first moment he'd walked in.

Surprisingly the man laughed. "Ah, a diplomat I see. Where are you from?"

"I am from a place called Earth, Sir." He answered.

"Earth? I have never heard of it."

"It is sometimes called Terra."

"Terra! You must be joking. That is the home of our ancestors. No one has ever been there."

"I have. That is where I am from. I was stolen and brought here to be sold."

"Unfortunately it is the way of the world."

"Not my world. Slavery is not allowed."

"Really? How unusual. I have never heard of such a thing before."

"Well, my country fought a war to abolish it. It is illegal for anyone to buy or sell human beings."

"Hmmm. I hope you are not going to cause trouble?"

"I hope so too Sir."

"Well, at least you are not boring. Do you read and write?"

"Yes."

"Good. You may prove useful. Do you see the scrolls on the desk?"

"Yes."

"Read one to me."

Daniel shrugged and walked over to the desk. Pulling one of the scrolls nearer he began to read. It was beautifully written and told the story of a battle. Reading the name he realized that Aetius must have been a soldier at one point.

"All right. You can obviously read. You will come to this room every morning after you have broken your fast. You will then take down what I tell you. You will then read it back to me so I can ensure you are getting it down correctly. Once I am finished for the day you may have the rest of the time free."

"Okay – uh, thank you Sir. May I leave the house?" he asked. He wanted to see if he could locate Sam.

Aetius stood up slowly and spoke. "Not right away. Once I know we can trust you then maybe." He took a few steps forward. It was only then that Daniel realized. Aetius had terrible scars across his face, including on his eyelids. The man was blind.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Four months! It had been four months and nothing had changed. Sam looked at her hands, which were red and chapped. She spent everyday, from before sunrise to sunset working herself to the bone. The only break she had was once a month when she got her period. At that time she was kept in a separate room where she wasn't allowed to come into contact with anyone or anything. It seemed women were 'unclean' at that time of the month. Although she hated the idea of that she liked the fact that she had a break. What made it nicer was there was often another woman with her and they'd have a chance to talk. She got to know a few of the other slaves – many of them very young.

Her Latin was getting better everyday and she could make herself understood much more easily. She'd tried to find out some information about people in the town, and about Daniel in particular, but no one knew anything – or at least they weren't sharing it.

She had been right, that first day. The slaves in the house lived in fear of the Mistress. She was not just demanding, she was out and out cruel. Many of slaves who came into contact with her suffered for it. She had had a number of the male slaves whipped for various infractions; some as simple as 'looking at her' insolently. Since Sam didn't think anyone looked at Acquilina she wondered about that. She was pretty sure the woman just liked to inflict pain and suffering.

Fortunately she didn't have to come into contact with her. Her day was spent either in the kitchen or laundry, two areas the Mistress avoided.

For a while she wondered why none of the slaves had ever broken and attached her. She hadn't been there long when she found out what the result of that would have been. Any slave who touched her would have been tortured horribly – possibly to death. If anyone had killed her then the whole household would be put to death.

There were a number of liaisons among the slaves, which Sam wondered at. The men and women were kept strictly apart but some of them still managed to arrange quick trysts. She'd actually walked in on one accidentally when she was sent to the pantry to get something. When she didn't report the incident (which they were supposed to do) she earned the undying gratitude of both involved parties.

Octavia, the housekeeper who had first instructed Sam, was what she referred to as 'the Enforcer'. She was deeply hated by all the slaves and made their lives miserable in lieu of her Mistress. She would always make sure Acquilina knew of any transgression on the part of any of the slaves and would ensure they were punished.

It was actually Octavia who carried out the punishment of the women slaves. She seemed to love to beat the women, often hitting them with wooden kitchen implements. She even burned one of the younger girls who dropped a dish by mistake. She was so angry she took a metal poker from the fire and laid it across the girls back. Sam had helped the girl for the next few days as she moved about in agony. Sam began to fantasize about various ways to get Octavia.

As she woke up that morning she had a feeling that today was not going to be a good day. Maybe it was the fact that it was extremely hot and muggy. It had looked like it was going to storm for many days now but the weather still hadn't broken. Everyone was tense and Octavia had been particularly cruel. Many of the slaves had also come under the wrath of Acquilina. She'd even had one of the men branded on the forehead. She'd claimed he'd been trying to escape when in actual fact he'd gone on an errand for Octavia. Of course the housekeeper had denied it when the man had told his mistress that.

His screams had kept Sam awake all night. She couldn't help but remember what had been done to the Colonel. Of course that made her think about him and about Daniel. She was trying to keep her spirits up but she was so tired she could feel the despair begin to grow. So far she'd had no opportunity to escape.

Shortly after she'd eaten the hard piece of brown bread each slave was given for breakfast, Octavia called her forward.

"Our Mistress has asked to see you. She wants you to serve her today." As Sam looked up in shock she could see the evil smile the other woman gave. "Be very careful to please her. You do not want to make her angry with you."

That was an understatement, thought Sam. Taking a deep breath she promised herself that she'd be as subservient as possible. She had to get through this okay.

"And take Lydia with you." Lydia was the young girl that had had the hot poker on her back. She was better although the mark was still sore.

Lydia looked at her in panic. She was still very young and somewhat clumsy and was terrified that she would do something to anger her mistress.

"You will be responsible for her so make sure she behaves." Octavia smirked. She then indicated the two women were to go.

They arrived at Acquilina's chamber and stood outside, looking at each other. Sam whispered 'good luck' and then knocked. Acquilina's personal maid – Flavia, opened the door. She was a young woman and probably had been attractive at one time, but her face had been horribly scarred. Sam didn't know how it had happened and figured it was probably better that she didn't know. The poor woman didn't talk to anyone and looked as if she were perpetually frightened out of her wits – which she probably was.

"Come in", she said quietly. "Mistress Acquilina wants you."

"Who is it Flavia?" the querulous voice of the Mistress came from her dressing room.

"It is Lydia and Turpisia." Turpisia was the name that she'd been given by the housekeeper. It had been a few weeks before she'd learned that the name meant 'ugly one'. It didn't upset her – knowing the source. Instead it just made her wonder about people's cruelty.

"Tell them to come here and you may leave. Go find Octavia and see what she wants you to do." Poor woman, thought Sam. Octavia will give her some horrible task. She hated Flavia, jealous of the woman's access to the mistress. Sam was sure that Flavia would have changed places with her in a second if she could.

Sam made her way to the dressing room, where Acquilina was lounging in a large marble bath.

"You will help me out." she said, not looking at either of the women in the room.

"Of course Mistress", Sam replied calmly. She turned to Lydia and indicated she should get some of the towels, which were folded, on a small table to the side. She then walked over to the tub and leaned down so that Acquilina could grasp her arm. She helped the older woman get out of the tub, getting soaked in the process.

"You may dry me. And hurry up – it's cold." Sam took one of the towels from Lydia and began to dry the woman from head to toe.

Over the next few minutes she helped Acquilina dress and was then commanded to do her hair. Uh oh! She'd always worn hers short – although it had grown a lot since she'd left earth – and didn't really know anything about hair. She looked at Lydia in panic.

"May I Mistress Acquilina?" the young woman asked softly. "I've been told I have a talent for doing hair."

"Fine. You", she pointed at Sam, "You may do my feet."

So, while Lydia braided and dressed Acquilina's fine – and rather unattractive – hair, Sam cleaned and filed her toenails and messaged her feet. She had to laugh to herself – from saving the world to cleaning toenails! She'd certainly come down in the world.

After Acquilina was dressed she decided she wanted to go out and demanded that Sam and Lydia accompany her. They were given leave to grab their cloaks and then head to the wagon.

They drove to the market where Acquilina shopped. The two slave women were there basically to carry all her purchases.

Their mistress stopped at one point to speak with a friend. Sam took the time to glance around and was startled to see a face she knew well. Daniel! He didn't see her at first but then glanced up and looked directly into her face. He clearly didn't know who she was at first. With her hair bound up and the drab clothes it would have been hard for anyone to recognize her. It was only as she waggled her eyebrows at him that he took a second look. She could tell the moment he figured out it was her. His eyes got big and then he grinned. He started to walk over towards her but she subtly motioned towards Acquilina. He nodded and slowed down. He wandered over, pretending to look at various items.

Sam was surprised that he seemed to be alone. He was still dressed as a slave but appeared to have a measure of freedom. He looked quite well. Better than her she knew. She'd lost weight and was pale from spending so much time indoors.

Acquilina was still chatting to her friend when Daniel moved up. He placed himself back to back with Sam and began to speak.

"Are you okay Sam?" he asked softly.

"Okay Daniel. You?"

"Yeah, I lucked out. I'm working for a scholar. His name is Aetius. Be careful. He's Acquilina's brother and they hate each other."

That wasn't a surprise, she thought. What was surprising was that anyone liked the woman.

"Any word on the Colonel?"

"Yes, he's - " Just then Acquilina finished her conversation and turned to Sam and Lydia. "Come. I am tired. We will return to the villa." She began to walk and Sam turned to follow her.

"Sam, if you need help send Crispus." Crispus was a young male servant in the stables. She'd never really spoken to him but he'd seemed nice the few times she'd run into him.

"On the first and fifteenth of each month I'll be at the booksellers in the piazza – if you need to get away meet me there." That was all he had time to say before Sam had to hurry off. Meeting Daniel had suddenly lifted her mood. She was grateful to know he was doing okay – and also that there was hope that they might get out of this.

They arrived back at the villa and Acquilina was helped out of the wagon by one of the male slaves. Sam followed, and was just turning to grab some of the packages when Lydia screamed and then fell, the packages in her hands flying in every direction. Both of them could hear something shatter – most likely the alabaster jar their mistress had purchased for her cosmetics.

There was a pause, when everyone froze. Lydia started to whimper, knowing she was in trouble. She would be held accountable for the broken pot and the cost would probably be taken out of her flesh. Sam cringed, wishing there was something she could do.

Acquilina stared at the packages spread on the ground. She then lifted her head and looked at Lydia. Her nostrils flared and she called out for a cane – a weapon often used to beat the slaves. Lydia remained on the ground, her hands over her head.

One of the slaves – probably Octavia, thought Sam, although she didn't look to see, ran up and handed the item to Acquilina. The woman stepped forward and raised it about her head.

"You will learn you clumsy oaf!" She brought the cane down, with all her might, right on Lydia's head. Except it didn't connect.

Sam knew it was stupid, knew she would regret it, but it didn't matter. She could not stand by and let this bitch hurt a young innocent girl. As she felt the cane come down on her arms the pain only reinforced that she'd done the right thing.

"What do you think you are doing?" Acquilina hissed. Stepping back she looked at the woman in front of her.

"Lydia just tripped. It was an accident and she doesn't deserve to be punished."

"Who are you to tell me what she does or doesn't deserve? You are my property; I can do what I want with you. If I want to kill her for this I can." The woman was practically screaming by this point.

"Yes, legally you can, morally you are wrong. What kind of person punishes another for something like this? Have you never tripped, never dropped anything?"

She knew she was digging herself in deeper and deeper but the relief of finally being able to speak was too great. She had a quick thought of the Colonel and knew he would have done the same thing. He would have told her she was being foolish, and then would have supported her one hundred percent. God, she wished he were here.

"You will pay for that slave! Take her." Two of the men came up and grabbed her. She knew she was in for it now.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

He had no idea how long he'd been chained to this bench. Everyday was the same and everyday was hell. Not being able to see or move from this spot made it impossible to have any reference point as to where he was or even what time of day it was.

He didn't know how much longer he could last. From the first he'd had hope that somehow Teal'c or the others would find him. As the time went by he became less and less hopeful. He knew he was on the point of giving up.

He was still squashed between two other slaves, Mannus and Atta. While Atta has been beside him from the beginning, Mannus had only been here for a short time.

The first day he was chained between the two men he'd quickly realized he was in trouble. One of the slaves, the one on his left, was a bully. Not only that, he was huge. Although Jack couldn't see him he could tell just by being so close.

The slaves were fed once a day and it was always the same thing; a bowl of some kind of vegetable stew and a piece of dry bread. The first time they passed out the food he took his and began to eat. Even though it tasted half rotten he didn't care, he was so starved that he would have eaten anything. He'd only managed to get one bite when his bowl was grabbed and ripped out of his hands.

"Hey!" The big guy next to him had stolen his food. "Give that back!" he'd tried to reach over but was hindered by the chains and by the fact that he couldn't see. The man just grunted and ignored him. He'd tried to complain but the overseer just laughed and walked on.

It went on for a few more days. Every time he would be given food the guy next to him would steal it. He knew it was getting serious – he was feeling weak from hunger. He'd tried to reason with the man but he didn't even think the guy understood him. All he'd gotten out of him were a few grunts. The man on the other side never said anything at all.

Finally, he'd had enough. He was given the bowl and bread and decided he was going to hold onto it if it killed him, which it might.

This time, when bullyboy tried to grab it he lifted his elbow and bashed the man in the face as hard as he could. He heard a crunch and figured he might have broken his nose. Of course the bowl went flying but he had the satisfaction of getting him back.

The man howled, clearly in pain, and reached out with his manacled hands and grabbed Jack's arm. He pressed down on it with all his strength and Jack was sure it was going to break any minute. He wondered what they would do with a galley slave with a broken arm.

Just in time he heard a shout and the bully let go of his arm. He sat gasping, both in pain and in relief.

"You!" He heard good old Phrick shout. "It's the trouble maker! You will be punished for this slave."

"It wasn't his fault." A soft voice came from his right. He looked over in surprise, even though he couldn't see. This was the first he'd heard from the guy.

"Donar has been stealing his food every day. He would have died. He was just trying to protect himself."

There was silence and Jack wondered if the guy was going to get into trouble for trying to help him.

"Is that true Donar?" Phrixus asked. When the man didn't reply Phrixus called the overseer over. "Take him. He is to be punished." He turned to the rest of the slaves.

"No one is to take food from another. If you do you will be punished." With that he walked away.

"Thanks", Jack said to his neighbor. When the man didn't reply Jack spoke again. "I'm O'Neill, what's your name?" He figured Jack would be hard for anyone to pronounce.

"I am Atta."

"Nice to meet you Atta. Have you been here long?"

"A year."

"A year? Wow." As he was speaking he could hear and feel them unchaining the big guy Donar and pulling him away. He was groaning and whimpering. "What's going to happen to him?"

"He will be given the lash. He will then be chained back up again. He may survive but most don't."

"Oh" Jack frowned, actually feeling sorry for Donar. He knew too well how it felt. "I'm surprised they punished him. I figured I was in for it."

"It is too easy for the stronger ones to steal food. If they let that happen then too many slaves would die. The owner would not be happy with Phrixus. It is better that one slave be made an example of then others die."

"Yeah, I guess so." As he heard the sound of the lash and the man's screams he was transported back to the ship. He could feel himself start to sweat and feel nauseous.

"You too have received the lash." Atta said. From not saying anything he was suddenly real chatty, thought Jack.

"Yeah."

"What did you do?"

"Uh, saved a woman from being manhandled."

"You interfered with a free man?"

"Yes, I guess you could say that."

"They are pigs!"

"Ah, who are pigs?"

"Adranos". From that day on he and Atta had spoken whenever they could. They weren't allowed to speak when rowing; as if they could anyway. It took every bit of energy they had. But sometimes, when things were quiet and they weren't going anywhere and the guards weren't around, they'd talk.

It turned out that Atta was from a tribe at war with Adrano. He'd been out in the field, harvesting his wheat, when he'd been captured by a wondering band of mercenaries. Because he didn't know much Latin at the time and because he was strong, he'd been sold as a galley slave and he'd been here ever since.

It turned out that he was married and had a son and his wife had been pregnant when he'd been taken.

"She will think I am dead by now", he said. "She will soon take another man."

"Don't give up hope Atta. We may still get out of here."

Atta laughed. "You are still dreaming Oneo" the closest he could come to pronouncing Jack's name. "We will die here."

At first Jack had tried to encourage his bench mate but after a while he too began to despair. Eventually they put someone else beside him, a man by the name of Mannus. He was quiet – he only spoke a form of German – but he seemed okay. At least he wasn't like Donar.

Of that man Jack had heard little. He had thought about asking Atta but then decided he didn't want to know. Even though the man had been a bully, he didn't deserve to die for it. Jack would have felt responsible if that was his fate so he decided not to ask.

Each day was the same. They'd wake up and have their meal and then they'd row. All day they'd row- sometimes not even really going anywhere. After a few days his hands were raw and bloody. Now, after four months, they were callused enough so that it didn't bother him as much.

His knee was stiff and sore, as was the rest of him, from the enforced seated position. They were stuck all day chained like this. At night all they could do was lean forward and rest their heads on their arms. At first he couldn't sleep but after a few days was so exhausted it didn't matter.

His backside was raw from having to sit all day – as well as being unable to bathe. Of all the things they had to put up with he decided that was the worst. There was no latrine – the men just went where they sat. He learned pretty quickly how to maneuver himself over the edge of the seat and rearrange his clothes to keep them from getting dirty. The thought of sitting in a soiled loincloth didn't appeal.

As it was, the stench in the place was awful. There were slaves whose jobs it was to sluice out the deck once a day – but sixty men using it as an outhouse created a stench that was unbelievable. The only good thing about it was that it kept the overseers away most of the time.

"How long do you think I have I been here", he asked Atta one day. He figured the man would have a better sense of time since he could see day and night.

"About four months. The weather will soon change so we head south. It is a difficult trip and hard rowing."

"Great!" Jack had tried and tried to think of a way out of this but since he was never unchained he didn't know how. He'd tried everything he could to tug on the chains but they were totally secure, besides which he couldn't do anything blind.

It was a few days after he'd asked Atta about his time here when he noticed something odd. He'd woken up, stiff and sore as usual, but after few minutes he thought he saw a bolt of light across his eyes. It was so startling that he's jerked back and both Atta and Mannus had asked him what was wrong.

"Nothing." He'd replied. He must have been imagining it. However, when it happened again a little later, and once more that evening, he knew it wasn't his imagination. For some reason he was seeing flashes of light.

Over the next couple of weeks he began to experience more and more of the flashes, some of them lasting for five or ten seconds at a time. He didn't know whether to be worried or excited. It could mean something was seriously wrong with him or it could mean that he was starting to regain some sight. With the way things had been going, he wouldn't be shocked to find himself with a major head tumor!"

He kept telling himself not to get too excited but all that changed when he woke up about three weeks after the lights first started. He'd opened his eyes and for the first time in months, he could see. Oh, it wasn't clear at all. In fact, things were totally blurry. But he could see light and dark and he could see shapes. He wanted to cry out in relief. It made things so much better. Now he didn't feel completely lost and vulnerable.

Over the next few days his sight began to improve bit by bit. By the fifth day he could see pretty well. Not that there was much to see, of course, other than a lot of emaciated looking slaves, but to him the sight was beautiful.

He thought about telling Atta but decided it was best to keep it to himself for now. He began closing his eyes anytime they brought his food or an overseer walked by, afraid that he'd give himself away.

For the first time since being captured, he had hope. Some how, some way, he was going to get out of this. Rather than waiting for rescue, he was going to get away and save his teammates. It was going to be Jack O'Neill to the rescue!

_**Videre – to see**_


	5. Alemanni

She cried softly into her bed. The pain was bad but the humiliation was worse. She'd been able to handle everything until now, confidant that they would get out of this. Now, she wasn't so sure.

After standing up to Acquilina she'd been taken to be punished. Octavia had instructed that she be stripped and then had proceeded to beat her with the cane. As bad as it had been, Sam was grateful that the housekeeper was the one to mete out the punishment. If it had been one of the men she would probably have been seriously hurt or even killed. As it was, she was bruised from head to toe and had welts all over her back and legs.

The worst part of the whole episode turned out not to be the beating. After Octavia had finished Sam had been held down and had her head shaved. It turned out Acquilina had coveted her hair; that's why she bought Sam in the first place. She'd simply waited until it had grown out and then had demanded she be shaved.

As soon as she'd been returned to the dormitory she'd grabbed a rag and had wrapped her head, hiding the evidence. She knew that her hair would grow back, that it wasn't permanent, but it still felt like a horrible violation of her person.

"Colonel", she cried. "Where are you Sir?" Although she knew Daniel was close, and she could send a message, for some reason she wanted Jack. He would make everything okay. He could get them out of this.

"Where are you Sir? I need you." She lay her head down and continued to cry silently, the tears forming a small puddle on the mattress beneath her.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Danihel." He heard a quiet voice call. He looked around from his seat under the tree. Aetius was resting and he'd been given leave to go outside and enjoy the last of the summer weather.

"Danihel." He heard it again and finally sat up straight and looked around.

"Crispus!" The young lad from Acquilina's villa was standing at the entrance to the back garden. "What is it?" He stood up, knowing that only something serious would have brought the boy here.

Crispus was the son of Aetius' housekeeper Matilda. He'd been sold into the service of Acquilina but kept ties with his mother and her household. Although he'd never been told for sure, Daniel suspected that Aetius had arranged for the boy to be sold to his sister as a way to keep track of her. He was also sure that the sister had no idea who Crispus really was.

As a stable hand he had more freedom than some other slaves. He was often responsible for taking the horses for regular exercise or for going to the village on household errands. Aetius' house was conveniently located within the city and Crispus tried to stop by at least once or twice a week.

Crispus walked closer to 'Danihel', the scribe of his mother's master. Although he'd only been here a few months, the scribe had attained a position of some honor in the household. He was one of the few people who was able to speak intelligently to Aetius, a man who rarely left his house.

In many ways, Danihel had become the son that Aetius had never had. When he had been so grievously wounded in the war he'd returned to his home and had closed himself off from all his friends and acquaintences. He refused to see anyone for a long time and even now only allowed a few close friends in to see him. In Daniel he'd found someone he could talk to and discuss literature, art and politics.

Daniel knew he'd been fortunate, but in many ways that made him feel worse than if he were being treated poorly. He'd heard that Sam was having a much rougher time of it. Seeing her in the market, looking thin and pale, had shocked him. He hadn't even recognized her at first. The thing that was the most difficult for him was to see the lack of any spark in her eyes. They looked tired and lifeless.

Jack – well that was even worse. He'd found out very soon that Palinurus was the owner of a fleet of war ships and that he was always on the look out for slaves and criminals to row his galleys. Some of the other slaves had gone into great detail about the lives of galley slaves, and the fact that they didn't tend to live long.

He desperately tried to think of ways to save his friends but, even though he had a measure of freedom, he had no resources to escape or to free them. He knew where Sam was but had no idea where Jack could be found. Palinurus had many ships and Jack could be on any one of them.

He also knew that it was extremely difficult to escape. There were entire businesses that were simply to find and return escaped slaves. If you ran away and were found your life from that point on would be hell. Not only that, you would be branded on the face so that people would forever know you had tried to escape.

He would risk all of that however, if he thought there was any chance at all. He'd given up hope that Teal'c would find them, but needed to wait until he was more sure of success than he was now.

Seeing Crispus standing there, waiting to speak, caused a shiver of fear to run through him. He's asked the boy to watch out for Sam and to report to him if she were ever in trouble. Looking at his serious expression he was pretty sure something had happened.

"It is Turpisia", he began. Daniel immediately interrupted him.

"No, not Turpisia! Her name is Samanta." He knew very well what 'turpisia' meant and was sure the name had been given her by her jealous mistress.

Crispus bobbed his head, worried that he'd offended. When Danihel didn't say any more he continued. "She upset Dame Acquilina who had her beaten."

"Oh God! Is she okay?"

"Yes, I believe so. Octavia is the one who carried out the beating. She is cruel and as hated as her mistress, but she is not strong. I believe T – Samanta is just badly bruised."

"Thank God." 

"That is not all." Crispus continued. "The mistress had her head shaved. She did it to punish but she also wanted her hair to wear as a wig."

Daniel buried his head in his hands. Poor Sam! Although thankful that she wasn't too badly injured, he knew that the experience would have been terribly traumatic. He wished to God he could help her.

Lifting his head he noticed Crispus looking worried. The poor boy, thought Daniel. These people knew nothing but fear and servitude. What he wouldn't do to be able to free these people.

For some reason, he found the slavery in this society more frightening and abhorrent than what the Goa'uld did. It wasn't that it was harder on the individuals themselves, but somehow seeing humans treat other humans this way was worse. At least the Goa'uld were alien parasites.

"Thank you for letting me know Crispus. Can you take a message to her for me?"

"Yes, but I may not be able to see her right away. She is in the women's quarters and I cannot go there."

"That's fine. It doesn't have to be right away. Tell her the 15th – she'll know what I mean. And tell her that I said to be strong, it'll be over soon – that SG1 always finds a way."

"S – T One?"

"No S _G_ one. Can you remember that?"

"Yes, I will tell her."

"Thank you Crispus. Wait here for a moment." Daniel knew that Acquilina's servants weren't treated well so he went into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of honey cakes.

"Here, eat one of these. If you can, without danger to yourself or Sam, take her the other one."

"I will try Danihel. Thank you." Daniel had to laugh when he saw the young boy attack the cake with vigor!

He hoped Sam would be able to meet him on the 15th. If not, he'd have to find some way to go to the villa where she was living and try and talk to her. They had to plan a way out.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

_**Five months previously**_

By the time the Jaffa had stopped chasing him Teal'c was exhausted. He had much more stamina than his human friends, but it had been a long and difficult pursuit.

He knew his teammates had all been captured. His goal now was to stay free and determine where they were being taken. He couldn't help them now, but if he found out which Goa'uld these Jaffa served he could follow and retrieve O'Neill and the others.

He sat resting for a few minutes until he could see the fires of the Jaffa as they bedded down for the night. It was too late for them to return immediately to the gate. He assumed they would get going at first light. That gave him a few hours.

As soon as he was slightly rested he began to make his way back to the Stargate. He didn't go directly but rather circled around, so that he wouldn't be seen by the Jaffa. By the time he arrived at the ruins he could see the sun coming up. He thought about hiding in one of the buildings but first wanted to see if they'd left anyone at the gate.

He carefully made his way to the Stargate watching out for any remaining Jaffa. It was fortunate he did otherwise he would have run directly into a group of Jaffa camped out a few hundred meters from the gate. What came as a surprise was the ship sitting there. They hadn't arrived through the Chappa'ai after all but in a transport vessel.

Teal'c hid behind a few scraggly bushes, thankful there was more vegetation here than there had been by the ruins. He carefully watched to see which Goa'uld these Jaffa served.

It didn't take him long to realize that there were Jaffa with all different marks on their heads. From their conversation it quickly became apparent that these were runaways and weren't in the service of any Goa'uld. He wondered what their business was if they weren't stealing people as hosts.

The conversation continued and he heard the name 'Rannulfus' being mentioned a number of times. It was clear that this was the leader of this band of renegades. Before too long he found out what they were doing. They weren't collecting humans as hosts – but simply as slaves to be sold.

Teal'c spent some time deciding whether or not he could take out these Jaffa and rescue his friends, but there were too many of them. His next thought was to make his way to the gate and get reinforcements from General Hammond.

Carefully making his way to the gate he was relieved when it appeared no one was guarding it. He quickly dialed, worried that the sound would be heard by the Jaffa. When he heard a shout he knew his concern was correct. As he finished dialing he could hear running footsteps moving quickly towards the gate. He hit the last chevron in the center and keyed in his IDC and then ran towards the blue of the event horizon.

He almost made it, was almost through, when something slammed him directly in the back and propelled him through to the other side. The last thing he remembered was thinking that he was not going to be able to help his friends after all.

He smelled the strange antiseptic smell of the Infirmary when he woke up. It was a smell he was very familiar with but usually he was was the one sitting watching one of his friends who had been injured, rather than lying in the bed himself. His symbiote usually took care of him.

He felt strangely weak, a feeling he was unused to and which he didn't like. He stared for a while at the ceiling until a voice spoke at his side.

"Teal'c, you're awake!"

He turned his head slowly, only to see Dr. Frasier beside him with a small smile on her face. "Welcome back Teal'c. We were worried about you."

"How long have I been here Dr. Frasier?"

"It's been eight days Teal'c. We almost lost you this time. Your symbiote was also severely injured but you're both okay now. You'll probably be a bit weak for a while but you should get better quickly."

Teal'c barely acknowledged the Doctor's words. They weren't important. "Did O'Neill and Daniel Jackson and Major Carter make it back?"

"No Teal'c, I'm afraid they didn't. We could find no evidence of them on the planet. We were hoping you could tell us what happened."

"They were taken by renegade Jaffa. These Jaffa were hunting for people to sell as slaves." He turned away from her and continued to stare at the ceiling. "I must get up and speak with the General. We must send help and retrieve them."

"Do you know where they've been taken?" Janet asked, relief in her voice.

"No, I do not. I will discover it though. I know the name of the one who took them."

He started to sit up, again surprised at how difficult it was. Dr. Frasier easily pressed him back down.

"No you don't Teal'c. You're not going anywhere for a while. I'll have the General come down and speak with you. You can give him all the details."

"I must search for them Dr. Frasier. It is my fault they were taken."

"Your fault? How was it your fault?"

"I was coming back to get help when I allowed myself to be wounded. If I had not been I would have been able to obtain help and we could have saved them before they were taken off the planet."

"Teal'c! For heavens sake - you didn't get hurt on purpose. You're darn lucky to even be alive. And just remember that if it weren't for that fact there'd be no hope for the rest of SG1. Now, we can start to look" he went to sit up but she held him down, "when you are better."

Dr. Frasier (and General Hammond) made him remain in the Infirmary for three more days. After hearing his story the General had immediately gotten in touch with their allies. They'd sent word to the Tokra, the Asgard and the Tollan to see if any of them had heard of this Rannulfus.

Teal'c was forced to stay at the SGC as they waited for news from any of their allies. It was almost four weeks by the time they'd received an answer from everyone. Sadly, no one had heard of Rannulfus or these particular Jaffa.

Since earth had joined in the fight against the Goa'uld there had been more turmoil in the ranks of the various System Lords and it was becoming more common for Jaffa to run away. Some joined the free Jaffa movement but others joined roving bands of mercenaries or criminals. They stayed away from any Goa'uld controlled worlds whenever possible so their activities were concentrated on mostly smaller, less sophisticated worlds.

The problem with the Tokra was they didn't concern themselves with planets not affected or controlled by the Goa'uld. The same was pretty much true of the Asgard, although they were mostly concerned with 'protected' planets. The humans were pretty sure that the renegades would therefore also avoid any Asgard protected planets.

The Tollan – well, they kept pretty much to themselves and reported that they knew nothing. Teal'c was furious when it seemed they also didn't care.

A month after he'd last seen his friends Teal'c approached the General's office. He knocked and entered on Hammond's 'Come'.

"General", He bowed his head respectfully. "I have come to ask permission to leave."

"To leave? Where are you going Teal'c?"

"To find my friends General Hammond. I have promised myself and them that I will not rest until I find them."

"But you don't even know where to start looking Teal'c. It's a huge galaxy out there."

"Of this I am aware General. However I do know of some places I can start to look. It will be easier for me as a Jaffa to find information. I will pretend to have run away and to look for others to join."

"Are you sure Teal'c? We're still trying to find out information and I have teams out looking as well."

"I do not believe they will find them Sir. I also believe this is the best way."

"You know I can't send anyone with you Teal'c?"

"I know General and it is best that I go on my own."

"Well, I can't stop you from going if that's what you want Teal'c. I tend to agree that you'll have more luck and I want them back as badly as you do. The only thing I ask is that you let us know if you find anything."

"I will General Hammond. I will also not stop looking until I have found them."

"I know that son – and I honor you for that. If there's anything we can do ….?"

"I simply ask that I be able to take a GDO with me so that we may be able to return safely."

"Of course Teal'c."

So the next day Teal'c, dressed in his robes, walked into the Gateroom. General Hammond, Dr. Frasier, Ferretti and Reynolds were all there to wish him well.

"Bring them back for us Teal'c", Reynolds said.

"I will Colonel Reynolds, do not worry."

"Look after yourself Teal'c", Dr. Frasier stood on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "and good luck."

"Thank you Dr. Frasier."

"And tell O'Neill he still owes me twenty bucks so he damn well better come back!"

"I will Major Ferretti."

"God Speed Teal'c. As Colonel Reynolds said – bring 'em back to us!"

With a final goodbye he turned and stepped through the Gate.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The euphoria of getting his sight back lasted for a couple of days and then reality stepped in again. Oh, he was still incredibly relieved that he could see, but his dire situation hadn't changed any. If anything he was now more aware than ever of how bad things were.

He wondered briefly why his sight had come back – but guessed whatever they'd given him in the first place had simply worn off. Whatever the reason he was thankful. He never wanted to go through something like that again.

For the first couple of weeks he would wake up groaning and sweating from dreaming that he'd lost his sight again. A number of times either Mannus or Atta would shake him awake before he disturbed any others – or before one of the overseers heard him. Many of the superstitious Allemani thought that nightmares were signs of demon possession. The last thing he needed was to have everyone terrified of him. It was a sure way to get himself killed.

"Thanks", he'd murmured softly after one particularly bad dream. Atta had grinned at him and joked that he was probably thinking of a woman. Although he'd smiled it had immediately made him start to worry about Sam and how she was doing.

He spent a lot of time thinking about his teammates. He actually missed Daniel's chattering and his eternal optimism! He missed Teal'c and his pithy wisdom – and dry sense of humor. More than anyone however, he missed Carter. That fact kind of surprised him as he'd thought he'd dealt with any inappropriate feelings he'd had for her over this past year. Last year's Zatarc thingy had shocked him and he knew they couldn't go there, so he spent a lot of time convincing himself she was no more than a good officer under his command – and a friend.

It had taken being enslaved and chained on a galley to realize that he'd been lying to himself. He cared for her – way too much – and he missed her terribly. He missed her smile, her wacky sense of humor, her laugh – the way she said '_Colonel'_ when he was being silly or particularly dense. More than anything he missed the spark of wonder she brought to everything. He missed his Carter.

"The weather is getting worse." Atta interrupted his thoughts. "The rowing will become hard."

"God! It's not hard already?" Atta actually grinned at him – an expression he saw rarely from anyone anymore.

"No, this is easy Oneo. You are soft, like a woman."

'Oneo' snorted. He wished he could introduce Sam to these men! She wasn't soft – he paused – well, she was, in a good way – but she was also tough. She could whip most of these men.

"I am not 'soft' Atta. I could take you any day of the week!"

"Huh! When we get out of here you will have to prove that Oneo. If fact, we will make a bet on in!"

"Okay. What do you want to bet?"

"A cow."

"A _cow?_ Uh, sorry, but I don't exactly have any cows."

"You are afraid Oneo."

"I am not! Okay fine. If you win I give you a cow. If I win, however, I want something else. I have no need of a cow."

"You do not need cows where you are from?"

"Well, not exactly. I tell you what – if I win you name your next child after me!" He wondered if he'd said the wrong thing. He knew Atta suffered over the fact that he'd lost his family. At the same time, Jack wanted the man to believe he would be free.

Atta looked at him seriously for a second and then grinned. "I pray I do not have a daughter then!"

Jack laughed, which almost caught the attention of the Overseer. He quickly put his head down, pretending to sleep. It was never wise to call attention to yourself.

It turned out the next day that Atta was correct. The rowing began to get much more difficult as the waves grew higher and the sea more choppy. There was a lot of sweating and groaning from the men as they battled the fierce seas.

After months chained in one spot Jack knew he must look like hell. All he had to do was look at the others to imagine how he looked! He was filthy, from head to toe and couldn't imagine how he smelled. His hair and beard had grown and itched like crazy. He prayed he didn't have lice although he figured it was possible. He just hoped that the sea air kept them away.

His mouth tasted like a sewer and he was getting sores on various parts of his body – some he'd rather not thing about. He knew he was malnourished and had lost a substantial amount of weight. However, with all of that he also knew that his arms, shoulders and chest had gained muscle. He rowed for a good twelve hours a day, which couldn't help but develop his upper body strength. If he'd been fed half decently he would probably have been in the best shape of his life – at least from the waist up.

His lower body was another thing altogether. He knew his legs were weak and he'd probably have difficulty standing. His joints ached and his knee continued to cause him pain. The muscles had started to waste away even though he tried to do whatever he could to keep them from atrophying. He had little movement, chained as he was, but he did try and at least flex them a few times a day.

He laughed softly, thinking he must look like something out of some old movie. He was pretty sure children would run screaming if they saw him. All in all, he was a mess.

This day was particularly bad. The weather was awful with high winds and huge waves. He started to feel seasick after a while. By the sounds and smells around him he wasn't the only one. A number of the men were throwing up but still had to keep rowing. He hoped neither of his bench mates – or himself for that matter – would begin to heave. He knew if any one of them started it would cause a chain reaction.

They'd been rowing for hours through the bad weather when he heard a shout from one of the crew. The galley of the ship was open in the middle and they could often see the crew members going about their business. They never came into the galley where the slaves were chained. Probably couldn't stand the smell!

Today there was something going on however. He could see the sailors running around furiously. Then he saw a number of the overseers run up to the upper deck. Suddenly, without warning there was a huge 'bang' and he fell forward, knocking his face on the oar. It happened again almost immediately but this time he managed to save himself in time.

"What the hell?" he asked.

"Someone rammed us." Mannus said.

"What?" He looked in surprise at his companions.

"We are being engaged by the enemy." Atta laughed. "At least the enemies of the Adrano. They may be our friends."

One of the overseers came running down. "Row, row, row" he screamed. The slaves began pulling fiercely on the oars. "Faster", he shouted again. He began whipping the slaves to get them to row harder. It was the short, vicious whip he usually used to punish and scourge the slaves. As Jack felt it burn across his back he couldn't help the gasp that left his throat. He could feel the blood running down his newly torn back.

"Bastard!" he said under his breath. He rowed though – as if his life depended on it.

Another overseer came down and tried to get the slaves moving even faster. The fear in his voice made Jack realize that things must be bad. There was another 'bang' and suddenly water was seeping in the side of the galley.

Hell, he thought. If the boat sank they were toast, manacled as they were to the boat.

He felt the lash a few more times and wondered if he was going to pass out. The pain was bad, but the memories were worse. Atta and Mannus also received some of the lash and they weren't looking happy either.

Without warning there was another loud thud and then the horrible sound of wood and metal being ripped apart. A gush of seawater began pouring in right beside Jack's bench. He had trouble catching his breath as he and his companions were covered in the violent wave, which didn't stop.

Another crash and the floor under his feet ripped open, practically tearing his feet off. He was thrown forward and immediately lost all sense of where he was or what was happening. The water was quickly filling the boat and he could hear crashing and groaning – and the screams of the slaves trapped in the sinking ship.

One more incredible collision and the oar in front of him was broken in half. A piece of wood splintered off and embedded itself deeply in his forearm. He experienced more pain and disorientation as he was tossed about, but also the realization that his arms were now free, although he still wore the manacles around his wrists.

Unfortunately, the chain was still threaded through the ones on his ankles so he couldn't get away. He was continually bashed against the broken sides of the ship as well as the bodies of his fellow slaves. The water was getting deeper and it was getting harder and harder to breath as he was swept under again and again.

Completely disoriented and lacking oxygen he began to lose consciousness. He realized that this was it. He was going to die a slave, chained in his tomb. His last thought, before everything grew dark, was that Carter and Daniel were going to be pissed at him for dying.

"Oneo" he heard faintly. "Oneo!"

"Wha?" he answered – at least he thought he did but wasn't sure that he'd managed to het anything out.

"Oneo, wake up."

"Huh?" he jerked and immediately felt himself submerged in water. Someone pulled him up and he choked and gasped.

"Be careful my friend. I don't want to lose you after all the trouble I went to to save you."

He finally managed to open his eyes. The first thing he saw was the battered and bloody face of Atta staring at him.

"Wha?" he asked again.

"We're in the water. You're safe although a bit banged up. Just hold on and we'll try to make land."

He attempted to look around but his neck and back screamed at him.

"Don't move!" Atta shouted. "Keep still Oneo." He could still feel the water around him but also realized he was floating on something. He felt carefully and discovered that he was half lying on a plank of wood. Gingerly turning his head he saw Atta beside him, also resting on the wood. His friend was paddling however, using one hand to hold on to Jack and the other to try and move them closer to the shore.

He'd never actually seen any of the landscape or seascape, since he'd been blind when first taken on board. Then, once he'd gotten his sight back he'd only been able to see the sky. Atta had informed him that the Adrano ships stayed close to shore. Jack remembered that from his history lessons in school. It wasn't until years after the Romans that sailors had been able to navigate in open water. Before that time ships had to stay within sight of land or risk getting lost.

This was fortunate, he realized. It meant they had a chance of making it to safety; if they weren't eaten by sharks first, of course. He wondered if they had sharks on this planet. As he started to think about Jaws and to actually hum the theme song he realized his mind was wandering. He was too cold from the water, to have any idea of how badly he was hurt, but he knew there was something wrong. He'd have to wait to find out.

He drifted in an out of consciousness during their long swim. He really didn't know how Atta made it. He must have been hurt too. Jack was just grateful that he'd made a friend who was willing to help him. He would have died on his own.

"We're almost there Oneo. Just hold on."

"Mannus?" he asked faintly.

"He didn't make it." Atta answered shortly. Jack felt a real sense of grief for the quiet man. You can't sit beside someone for months without feeling something when they died.

"Only a little while now. Can you hold on?"

"Yeah", he muttered, although he didn't think he was the one who needed to hold on. It was Atta who was doing the holding – he was simply along for the ride.

A few minutes later he felt something knocking against his feet. The next thing he knew he did a face plant on the beach. Atta had held on as long as he could but his strength had finally given out and he'd been unable to keep Jack from falling. Oh well, he thought, he saved my life. What's a little sand in your mouth – and up your nose – between friends?

"I'm sorry Oneo", gasped the other man once he'd caught his breath. Jack managed to turn his sand and dirt covered face.

"Don't worry Atta. I owe you my life and a little sand isn't going to hurt me." It took a few more minutes before Atta was able to sit up and look around. They'd arrived on the coast and there didn't appear to be anyone about. He then looked at Oneo, who was still lying on his face.

Atta knew that Jack was hurt pretty badly. Having been trapped in the middle he'd born the brunt of some of the worst of the destruction. Atta had been able to get loose after one of the crashes had broken the beam where he was sitting. He'd gotten his feet out quickly, which enabled him to maneuver and hold on. He had desperately tried to help his companions but the force of the water was such that he had all he could handle just to save himself. In the end a huge wave had ripped Oneo's feet away from the beam and he'd been able to pull out the chain and grab the man. He finally managed to pull him out of the side of the boat. He'd wanted to go back for Mannus but the boat was sinking too fast. He would forever remember, in his nightmares, the last sight he'd had of his benchmate.

Atta had used all the strength in his arms to pull Oneo away from the boat. He knew they could easily get caught in the vortex of the water as the boat was pulled down. Their lives depended on getting as far away as possible.

In the end he'd managed to pull them both away and to grab onto a wooden plank that had been part of the ship. He actually thought it might have been one of the slave benches – which would have been ironic if it was what saved them.

He pulled Oneo on to it and then pulled himself up. Holding on to his friend with one hand he'd begun to make his way to the shore.

Looking now at his friend he wondered if all the effort would end up being fruitless. Jack looked like death. Maybe he would have been better off to let the sea claim him.

"You gonna leave me here?" The muffled voice made him laugh. Leave it to Oneo to joke at a time like this.

"No, you'll make a mess of the beach."

"Yeah, well then, why don't you turn me over?"

"But then I'll have to look at your face." Atta knelt next to his friend, knowing this was going to be painful. He suspected Oneo had some broken bones.

"Hey, I'll have to look at yours too you know!" Jack had finally admitted to Atta that he could see a few weeks back. It had become too difficult to keep pretending and he had grown to trust the man.

"Yes, but I am handsome."

"And what am I? Chopped liver?"

Atta laughed as he began to gently check Jack for broken bones and injuries.

"You are not my type Oneo."

"Thank God – ow!" Jack tried to pull away. "That hurt."

"Yes, you are injured."

"Kinda figured that out Atta. Can you please turn me over? This sand really doesn't taste good at all."

"I will in a moment. I want to check you out first."

"I thought you said I wasn't your type?"

When he didn't hear anything he began to grow worried. Was he worse off than he figured? He still couldn't feel too much, numbed as he was by the cold water.

"What's it look like Atta?" he asked seriously. He wanted the truth.

"Well, you have more marks on your back."

"Yeah, I remember that. You got hit too."

"Yes", he answered shortly.

"So what else?" When there was no answer he tried to turn his head. "Come on Atta, you're kinda freakin' me out here."

"I am sorry Oneo. I am simply trying to determine what injuries you have sustained."

"God, you're sounding like Teal'c."

"Teeluk?"

"Yeah, pretty close. He's a friend of mine. He always speaks as if he's got marbles in his mouth. Come on Atta – what's wrong for God's sake?"

"Some of the wounds on your back are deep but they should heal. Your back is also extremely bruised. I was trying to determine whether or not your kidneys were damaged. You have some broken ribs."

"Okay, so turn me over now."

"It will hurt."

"Yeah, of course it will – but do it anyway."

Atta sighed, worried that he was going to damage his friend even more. What he hadn't told Jack was the state of his legs. They were covered in blood and he was worried one or both were broken. The ankles and one knee were all extremely swollen – most likely from being chained down while he was tossed about. The skin under the manacles was also torn to shreds. All in all they looked pretty bad.

More than anything Atta worried about Oneo's spine. He knew turning him over could be lethal but, considering their situation, he figured it didn't really matter. He would just die sooner.

So, slowly and carefully he rolled Oneo onto his side.

"Damn" Jack gasped. That hurt like hell. The numbness was starting to wear off and he could feel the pain start in his feet and then move up pretty much all the way. He figured it would be easier to find the one spot that didn't hurt rather than identify all the places that did.

"Oooh", he groaned, as Atta rolled him on his back. Now he had the lovely feeling of sand in the cuts on his back.

Atta began to carefully feel his arms and then his legs. It was only then that he realized the extent of the agony that was coursing through his legs. When Atta carefully tried to straighten one of them he gasped and that was the last he knew for a long time.

The next time he awoke he could feel himself moving. He wondered if it had all been a dream and he was back on the galley, the swaying motion feeling familiar. That was until the cart landed in a pothole.

"OW! God damn it!" he yelled. He felt sick from the pain.

"I am sorry", a soft voice answered. "I will be more careful."

Jack opened his eyes to see Atta beside him, looking down with worry written all over his face. As soon as he saw that Oneo was awake he smiled, smoothing out his expression.

"A kind couple found us on the beach and they are taking us to their farm", he explained.

"Adrano?" he groaned.

"No. Alemanni. They are friends."

Jack gave a small nod. Just before he passed out again he had one final thought; maybe their luck had changed.


	6. Germanicus

_**Sorry for not getting back to anyone to thank you for your lovely reviews. For some reason I've been having trouble receiving reviews or alerts. Hopefully it's just temporary.**_

The first thing he saw was a small bird looking down at him. It took him a minute to figure out where he was and why there'd be a bird, since obviously he was inside. Once his head stopped spinning he managed to look around.

He was in a barn and the bird was sitting on one of the beams overhead. It had obviously flown in at some point and maybe even had its nest here.

He should have guessed where he was right away. He could definitely smell the hay and the animals. He actually didn't mind – the smell of cows and sheep was vastly superior to the human smell he'd had to put up with for the last few months.

As his awareness grew he figured out that he was on a soft bed of straw covered by rough blankets. There were more blankets on top of him. Peaking underneath he confirmed that he was naked, although there were bandages covering a good portion of his body. He certainly wasn't sorry to see the loincloth go; it had been filthy and was probably flea infested but he did hate the vulnerable feeling of being without clothes.

He simply lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling and relishing the fact that he was no longer on the galley. It felt wonderful to be able to lie down. Or it would have except for the fact that he hurt – a lot. The good news was that it was nowhere near as bad as he'd felt after having been lashed – and that gave him a huge sense of relief. This was more the usual pain he felt after a mission gone wrong.

Starting at the top he figured he'd better do an inventory of his wounds. He knew he was extremely lucky that he didn't seem to have a head wound. With the way he'd been whipped around and with things flying through the air, he was lucky he hadn't received a severe concussion or worse.

Moving down he definitely felt the lashes on his back. They burned like the devil but fortunately the overseer had only gotten him a few times; he'd parceled out the lashings amongst a number of the slaves!

He seemed to be able to breath relatively well although there was some soreness. Having experienced his share of broken ribs and the punctured lung in Antarctica he was pretty sure that he just had some deep bruising on his chest and back. That would explain the soreness.

The lower back – now that was definitely the source of a lot of the pain. He expected his kidneys had been damaged and only hoped that it wasn't too bad or that he'd ended up with a floating kidney. He knew he'd have to drink plenty of water but really wasn't looking forward to it coming out. This could be painful.

Finally he reached his legs. He tried to move them but the pain spiked fiercely through his body. Uh oh, that wasn't good, he thought. Checking again he was relieved to see they were both there, although pretty much completely wrapped in bandages. He didn't see a splint and really hoped that meant no broken bones.

All in all, he thought, he was probably in better shape than he had any right to be after what had happened. Still, he knew he owed his life to Atta.

Speaking of whom? Where was he? Jack looked around the barn and realized he'd completely missed the blanket-covered mound lying a few feet away. God, he must be sick, he thought. His black ops training had flown completely out the window.

The blanket was moving up and down at a steady pace so he assumed whoever was under it was sleeping. He was pretty sure it must be Atta and debated whether or not to wake the man up. Finally, he decided he had no choice. He had to pee really badly and was pretty confident he wasn't going to be able to walk anywhere soon.

"Atta", he croaked. Okay, that didn't work. His throat felt like sandpaper – not only did he have to pee, he would have sold his – no, he took that back – after the last few months he wouldn't even use that as an expression. He just really, really wanted a drink.

"Atta", he called out a bit louder. He heard a soft grunt and then the blankets moved. A couple of seconds later a head appeared from underneath and a very bleary-eyed Atta was looking at him.

"Oneo!" he cried when he saw Jack. "You are awake!"

"Yeah", Jack answered softly. "Uh, some water?"

"Of course my friend. One moment." Atta stood stiffly and limped over to where a pitcher, covered with a small piece of linen, sat.

"Here", he helped Jack sit and drink. Moving hurt, but the feeling of the cold water soothing his throat was worth it.

"Thank you", he said as Atta helped him lie back down.

"How are you feeling Oneo?"

"Not too bad. Uh Atta, I'm afraid I also need some help - "

"Of course! Wait." Atta slowly made his way back to the side and retrieved another jug. He then helped Jack maneuver so that he could use the makeshift urinal. It was as Jack had thought – the process was pretty painful and his urine was dark pink. Still, it wasn't as bad as he thought it might be. Hopefully his kidneys were only bruised.

Atta set the jug back down and Jack had a quick thought hoping the man didn't get the two containers confused!

"I think you are getting better Oneo." Atta sat down beside him.

"Huh? Why do you say that?"

"Because, your kidneys look like they are improving. Your water had more blood in it before."

That brought up two issues for Jack. One, he'd obviously been here longer than he'd thought and two, Atta had clearly been 'nursing' him. It made him feel rather uncomfortable which was silly, really, considering that they'd lived beside each other for 24 hours a day for months and had pretty much seen everything.

So, he decided to concentrate on point number one.

"How long have we been here?" he asked.

"Five days. The first couple we didn't know if you were going to make it. You were very bruised and had lost a lot of blood. Your fever broke yesterday and you are looking better. I think you will live Oneo", he smiled.

"Thank you Atta!" He now owed the man even more. He'd saved him from the ship and had kept him alive after that.

"So, how bad am I?" He was really worried about his legs. If they were permanently damaged he didn't know how he'd ever escape.

"As I said, you mostly had severe bruising and a number of cuts from the wood. Your arm was very bad."

Lifting it up he realized he'd forgotten that. He now remembered the big huge sliver that had been sticking out of it. Great – another scar.

"We were worried about your kidneys. You should see the bruising on your back. It is quite spectacular. But, as I said, your kidneys appear to be getting better." He paused for a moment. "Your legs looked bad when we checked you and I thought they were broken or even crushed. Fortunately, I don't think that is the case. Your ankles are both sprained and your knee was twisted. Besides that you received multiple deep cuts and scrapes."

Atta reached out and carefully grasped Jack's shoulder. "You were very lucky Oneo. It will take time for you to heal but I believe you will be fine."

Jack closed his eyes, the relief flooding through him. He could actually feel his eyes begin to water, something he didn't want Atta to see. Yes, he was hurt and felt like hell – but he was going to be okay and, above all, he was free!

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

She would give anything to be free! After her beating every day became steadily worse. She was given one day to recuperate and then she was called in to see Acquilina. The woman had decided that Sam – Turpisia – was to become her personal servant. Flavia was sent back to work in the kitchens. Sam had seen the relief in the young woman's eyes. It made her realize that life was about to become much harder.

It didn't take long to recognize that Acquilina hated and resented her for some strange reason. She took Sam's looks as a personal affront and did everything she could to humiliate and make her suffer.

She insisted that Sam keep her head uncovered and forced her to wear the worst rags available. Besides that she continually struck her, at one point even scratching her face.

There were many times Sam was tempted to simply turn on the woman and beat the crap out of her. Even though she was weaker than she had been, she knew she could do it easily. She also knew she could kill the woman in a second if she wanted to.

The problem with either scenario is that it wouldn't just be her that would pay the price, but all the slaves in the household. She was unable to do anything or the others, especially Lydia, would suffer.

Acquilina took special note of the fact that she'd rushed in to help the young woman and now used that against Sam. Anytime Sam did something she didn't like, not only was Sam punished, but Lydia was as well. Octavia saw to that.

The one and only good thing about the present situation was that it meant Sam was able to leave the house. Acquilina liked to shop and to visit friends and would take Sam with her. Fortunately, women - both slave and free, were expected to cover their heads in public – so Sam didn't have the humiliation of going out with a bald head.

She had received Daniel's message – and the honeycake – and was trying to figure a way to see him on the 15th of the month. There was no guarantee that Acquilina would decide to go to the market that day, so Sam tried to think of some way to get her there.

She lucked out when she heard Barupus, the local cloth merchant, talking about a new shipment of silk that was arriving on that very day. She mentioned it to her mistress and, from the reaction, knew they'd be heading to the market on the 15th.

Sure enough she was called to accompany Acquilina and was told to get Lydia and bring her as well. Obviously the woman was going to be making quite a few purchases and needed her 'pack horses'.

Sam and Lydia sat in the back of the wagon as it headed into the market square. They were lucky as it was Crispus who was driving them today. She had caught his eye as she'd gotten in to the wagon and he had given her a small nod. If at all possible he would tell Daniel.

They'd been wandering around shopping, for over an hour, by the time that Acquilina decided she wanted to make her way to the cloth merchant's.

"Terpisia, you will take the packages back to the wagon and then you will come and meet me. Lydia, you will come with me."

Sam felt a wave of relief – she'd get to be away from the witch and might even have a chance to see Daniel. Taking the packages that Lydia was carrying, along with those she carried, turned to hurry back as fast as she could. Hopefully she'd have enough time to speak with Daniel.

"Sam!" Daniel's voice came from one of the allies. He'd received the news from Crispus and had immediately made his way to the market. He'd been following Sam for a while and as soon as she'd turned to head back he's stepped into an ally, waiting for her.

"Daniel!" Sam ran over. Dropping the packages she threw her arms around Daniel and held on as tightly as she could.

He could tell that she was shaking and was overcome with emotion. God, what had that bitch done to her? He could see the scratches and bruises on her face as well as her arms and hands. She was even thinner and paler than the last time he'd seen her.

"Oh Daniel, it's so good to see you", she cried into his neck. He tried to pull back but she held on so tightly he couldn't move.

"Sam", he said gently. "Sam, look at me." Slowly, with a sniff, she pulled back. He could see that her eyes were red and that she was desperately holding back the tears.

"Hey Sam, it's okay. I'm here." He turned to the boy. "Crispus, take the packages to the wagon and then come back here." The boy nodded and ran off. This would give Sam and him time to talk.

"Are you all right Sam?" he asked.

"I'm fine Daniel. I just want to get out of here. I hate that woman and I'm really not cut out to be a slave."

"Yeah, me either. I've been trying to think of a way we can get away but it's hard. We don't have any resources and if we get caught it'd be bad."

"We have to try. I'm afraid if we stay I'll end up killing that woman."

"Oh God, don't do that!"

"I know, I know – everyone would suffer if I did – but I don't think I can live like this much longer."

He reached out and hugged her again, feeling terrible for her and guiltier than ever that he'd ended up in a much better situation.

"I'm sorry Daniel, I didn't ask about you?"

"I'm fine Sam. May 'Master' treats me quite well actually. He's something of a scholar and likes to have someone to talk to."

"Can you get him to help us?"

"No, I'm afraid not. He's not a terrible person but he thinks slavery is the way of the world. He doesn't see anything wrong with it. As far as he's concerned slaves were put on this earth to serve citizens like him. Even though he's not a cruel man he wouldn't lift a finger to help us, or any slave for that matter. And, if I were to escape he'd have no compunction in disciplining me."

"What kind of people are these?" she asked.

"Like people everywhere I guess. Don't forget that this is what it was like in America not that long ago. Even 'god-fearing' so called good people thought that slavery was okay. But come on, we don't have time for a discussion on the evils of slavery. I think we both already agree on that. Let's see if we can figure out what to do."

"You said last time you knew what had happened to the Colonel?" She looked at him in fear. If anything had happened to him ….!"

"He was sold as a galley slave Sam."

"A – what?"

"A galley slave. You know, like the movie Ben-Hur. He's being forced to work in the galleys – the war ships."

"Is it bad?" she asked in a small voice, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah", he answered softly. "It's bad. They're basically chained to a bench and left there until they die, which usually isn't long, according to what I've been able to gather. It's a pretty awful life." He'd thought about tempering the news, knowing it would kill Sam, but then realized that wouldn't be fair. She was a strong woman, and part of the team. She needed to know what they were up against.

She didn't say anything at first, just stared off blankly. Then she took a deep breath and seemed to stand up taller. Looking at Daniel she finally spoke,

"He's alive Daniel. He's not going to give up, not as long as he knows we're here. No matter how bad it is for him he will keep going and if he can do it, so can I." The thought of what he must be going through made her feel sick, but at the same time it had brought her much needed courage. What were the petty humiliations she had to endure compared to what the Colonel was probably experiencing! No, she had to stop feeling sorry for herself and figure a way to get out of here.

"I know Sam. I know he won't give up but he'll have no way of gaining his freedom. He's chained to the boat – even Jack O'Neill can't get out of that."

"Well then, it's just up to us to go get him. Maybe it's time his team went to his rescue and didn't sit around waiting for him to rescue us!"

"Yeah, but that brings us back to the start. How are we going to get away?"

They discussed options for the next few minutes until Crispus returned. Sam knew she had to make her way back to Acquilina, as much as she dreaded it, or she would get into trouble.

"Let's meet again. The next time you head out with Acquilina get word to Crispus and I'll try to meet you. We'll think of something Sam, don't worry." He gave her another hug and kissed her cheek. He watched as she made her way back.

Feeling depressed he headed back to Aetius' house. He had to figure out a way to get out of the city. But how?

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Teal'c had been traveling for months now, trying to find Rannulfus or any word of his friends. He'd made his way to Chulak and had spoken to Bratac, but hadn't had any luck. Bratac had, however, offered to spread the word among the free Jaffa. As soon as anyone heard anything they were to get back to him and then he would get word to Teal'c.

So far he hadn't heard anything. He'd met a lot of disaffected Jaffa, some of whom he'd convinced to join the Free Jaffa movement. There were many others who simply decided to find whatever job they could to survive. Finally, there were those who became mercenaries or joined gangs and were interested only in personal profit. Those were the ones he was looking for.

He'd been on this latest planet for over a week and hadn't found anything. He was about ready to leave in the small ship he'd been able to secure from the Tokra. They had tried to contact Jacob and let him know what was happening but the Tokra refused to contact him, saying he was deep undercover on an important mission. When General Hammond threatened to raise a stink over their refusal to contact the former Air Force General, they'd offered a Teltak instead and had promised to get word to him as soon as possible.

"Are you Teal'c?" a voice interrupted his musings. He looked up to see a Jaffa, dressed in their traditional robes.

"That is my name. Who are you?"

"I am Bre'lan. I am of the Free Jaffa and was recently on Chulak. Master Bratac sent me to you."

Teal'c sat up straighter at this. "Do you have word of my friends?"

"No, I am sorry." Teal'c sat back, disappointed but gestured for the other man to sit down. "But I do have knowledge of the Jaffa referred to as Rannulfus."

"You know this man?" Teal'c was again excited, although he didn't let on to Bre'lan.

"I do not know him personally but I have seen him recently. I was in the Markur quadrant, meeting with some Jaffa interested in joining our movement. Master Bratac told us to keep our eyes open for this man. While I was there I heard his name spoken and tried to find any information I could."

"That is excellent Bre'lan. Can you tell me what you discovered?"

"Well, he is a slaver, as you know. He finds his slaves on planets with small, insignificant populations. He stays away from any that use space travel or have more sophisticated technology. It is also said that he only sells to these kinds of planets as well. He has six or seven planets where he does business and they are all without a Stargate and where the people do not have ships to travel in space."

"Do you know which planets these are?"

"I was able to discover a few of them but not all, I am sorry. The person I was speaking with works for Rannulfus and was beginning to get suspicious at my questions so I thought it best to retire. I went to Bratac immediately and he sent me here."

"Do you know if this Rannulfus will still be on the planet you visited?"

"I do not believe so. He was picking up supplies and was planning to leave shortly. According to his man they were going to pick up more slaves in order to head back to one of the planets on their circuit. It seems they have regular times they visit individual planets." He stopped for a moment and then continued.

"I do know that they planned to return to the planet where your friends were taken. The man I spoke with bragged over the valuable merchandise they'd picked up from that planet – spoke specifically of a woman with fair hair and blue eyes." Bre'lan reached into his robe and pulled out a piece of paper. "I have written the coordinates of the planets I was able to discover, as well as the name of the person with whom I spoke. That is, unfortunately, all the information I was able to get."

Teal'c stood up and put out his arm. Grasping the arm of the other man he bowed his head. "Do not apologize. I thank you for what you have brought me. It is very valuable. Can you please also convey my thanks to Bratac and let him know that I will be heading to these places?"

After the other Jaffa had left Teal'c sat and studied the piece of paper. It would take many days to get to the quadrant where the planets were located, but at least now he had somewhere to start. He could see that the planet where his team had been kidnapped was in the same general area as the ones listed on the paper. It appeared as if Rannulfus kept pretty much to one part of the galaxy.

Teal'c stood up and paid for his drink and then headed out. The sooner he left the quicker he would find his friends. With a slight smile he walked to the Teltac. Soon, he thought, soon his team would be back together.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

If Janet Frasier were here she would have understood that O'Neill's bad temper was a result of frustration. There was nothing he hated more than being stuck in a bed recuperating. The fact that he'd spent the last five months stuck chained to a bench didn't help either. He wanted, no he _needed_ to move around. He felt like he was about to crawl out of his skin if he didn't get up and _do_ something.

"But what can you do my friend? You are still injured and must rest." Atta was sitting beside him, trying to reason with him. Little did he know that reason was not something that Jack cared about right now.

"I want to get out of here Atta. Lying around on my ass isn't helping anything or anybody. I need to go help my teammates and get home."

"Do you think that falling on your 'ass' will enable you to do that? Because that is what will happen if you try to get up. Your ankles and legs need time to heal before you attempt to walk. And it will take time to build the muscles back up anyway."

Looking at his friend Jack knew that what he was saying was true. Both ankles and his one knee were still terribly swollen. Logically he knew he wasn't going to go anywhere but that didn't make him stop complaining.

The reality was, if he stopped complaining he'd have to _think_ and that's what scared him. He was really frightened that there was something more seriously wrong with his legs than Atta had let on and that he'd never be able to walk again. He knew they still hurt like hell, but what frightened him the most was how weak they were. He could barely move them.

"Oneo – it will take time." Atta was speaking to him as if he knew what he was thinking. "I still have much trouble walking but I feel myself getting stronger each day."

It was true, at first Atta could barely stand for a few seconds before his legs would give out on him. Even now he couldn't stand for long periods of time and he limped quite noticeably. To get up the ladder to the loft where they were sleeping he had to pull himself up almost completely using his arms.

The time on the galleys had given them great strength in their arms but their legs had lost muscle tone. Atta was in worse shape in that regard as he'd been on the galley for much longer. However, he didn't have to contend with the more serious injuries that Jack had.

"I know Atta', Jack sighed. He really shouldn't be taking it out on his friend. But he needed something to do! "I'm just bored and frustrated. I hate lying around like this. I want to be doing something."

"Well", his friend grinned, "maybe I can help you out with that." When Jack looked at him expectantly he continued. "Is what you told me true? Were you a soldier before you became a slave."

"Yes." Jack answered. What was Atta up to now?

"Well, Germanicus, the leader of the Alemmani is coming in a couple of days. His army is following closely. I have heard he is planning an attack on the Adrano. He has been steadily gaining ground and feels it is time to make a major strike. Since you seem to know a lot about battle strategies I thought you could help."

"How? It's not like I can fight. I can't even piss without help", he said in disgust.

Atta grinned. "No, but that will change. And what is important Oneo is that your mind was not hurt. You can still think and plan. You are an educated man and one who understands much about fighting. You can help Germanicus and save your friends at the same time."

Jack thought about it. It was possible although it depended on this 'Germanicus' and what kind of man he was. He might not like some stranger, and a foreigner at that, giving him advice.

"Do you think this German guy will want my – our – help?"

"Yes, I do."

"How do you know? Maybe he's an arrogant bastard and will kill us instead."

Atta laughed. "I do not think so. He is not like that."

"Really? How do you know that? Do you know the guy?"

"Yes I know him. He is my brother."

"What!" Jack pushed himself up on his elbows. "Do you mean to tell me the supreme commander of the Alemmani is your _brother?_"

"Yes", he answered simply.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jack asked, looking askance at his friend.

"Why did you not tell me that you could see?"

"That's different – and I did eventually tell you!"

"Yes, you did. And I would have told you if I thought it was important. But it was too dangerous for me to disclose while on the galley. If anyone had heard they would have used me to get to my brother."

"I thought you were a farmer?"

"I am."

"But you're also a – what? What is Germanicus?"

"He is our leader – he is a prince."

"So, does that make you a prince too?"

"Yes."

"Great – now you tell me!" Jack lay back and 'harrumphed'.

"What difference does it make Oneo? We are still friends are we not? What difference does a title make?"

"Nothing I guess. I just wish I'd known."

"And what would you have done differently?"

"Oh hell, I don't know. Probably nothing. I just – I just don't like not knowing things, okay?"

Atta laughed again. "You must rest. In a little while I will return and we will discuss battle tactics." He struggled to his feet and then made his way slowly down the ladder. Just as his head was about to drop out of sight he spoke.

"You'll be up soon enough Oneo, do not fret. You will then help in the fight to free your friends." With that he was gone.

Jack tried to rest but his mind was full of thoughts about battles – and about history. Although he'd never admit it to Daniel, he had actually studied quite a bit of military history and knew something of Ancient Rome and their battle with the Germanic tribes. It seemed as if history was repeating itself here!

The next day he and Atta spent hours talking about the various tactics used by the Adrano and the Alemmani. Up until recently the Adrano had had vastly superior armies and had been victorious the majority of the time. They had advanced deep into Alemmani territory, killing or enslaving the population. Recently, however, they had begun to suffer more defeats than victories and in some places had even had to give up the territory they'd won.

"Why do you think that is Atta?" Jack had asked.

"Numbers. More and more of the tribes are joining together to fight. The Adrano still have superior weapons and tactics but are finding it harder to win against the shear numbers of the Alemmani."

"Okay, this all sounds real familiar!" He was beginning to remember more and more of his Roman military history and started putting the pieces together. Of course, he needed more information before being able to come up with anything close to a plan that would work.

He was lying there the next day, trying to carefully move his legs, when he heard a shout. Brennus, the oldest son of the couple who had taken them in, popped his head up into the loft. "He's coming", he shouted in glee. "Germanicus is coming!" He immediately left, running out of the barn telling everyone.

Well, thought Jack, this should be interesting. He wondered if Germanicus was much like his brother. He hoped so.

He was to find out later that afternoon when Germanicus came for a visit. He was older than Atta by quite a few years. Looking at him Jack felt an instant rapport. This was a man who fought for his beliefs and had suffered much as a result. O'Neill instantly felt the connection and, looking at the other man, was sure he felt it too.

"So, I hear you are the latest stray my brother has found."

"Stray?"

"Yes, didn't he tell you? He is notorious for finding all sorts of creatures and bringing them home. He always begged to keep them and to tend them, no matter how badly hurt they were."

"Well, I don't think of myself as a stray but I do owe him my life."

"Yes, that is Atta. I'm afraid though he's going to want to keep you. I expect him to start begging me at any moment."

Jack grinned. Yes, this was definitely someone he could grow to like. "I'm afraid he'd better not. I can be unpredictable and am hard to train!"

"Yes he said that." Growing serious the other man looked down at him. "You know that any creature that turns on the one who has helped him has to be put down?"

Germanicus was warning him against hurting his brother. Nodding, he answered. "Yes, I understand and I can assure you that will never happen. As I said, I owe him my life and consider him my friend. I will never betray that friendship."

Germanicus looked intently at him and then grinned. "Good! So, my little brother tells me you are a soldier and know quite a bit about battle tactics."

"Yes, something, although it's been a long time since I've fought in any kind of large scale battle."

"But you do know how?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid I'm not going to be of much help", he pointed to his legs. "I can't walk too well yet."

"Yes, so my brother informs me. He too has trouble and will not fight. But you can help in other ways."

"I'll try. There's just one thing I'd like to ask in return."

"Your friends?"

"Yes. I believe they are in Adrano city. They were to be sold as slaves. I want to get them out."

"And then what will you do?"

Jack hadn't really thought that far but really, until he was better, there was only one thing they could do.

"I would ask refuge among your people."

Again Germanicus studied him. "We are not a wealthy people and resources are scarce. What would you bring?"

"Well, I could bring my knowledge as a soldier – that already seems valuable to you. Daniel is a scholar and Sam – ur Samantha – she is- "

"She? There was a woman with you? Is she your wife or betrothed?"

"Uh, no. She is a soldier under my command."

"A soldier? We do not have women soldiers. She would not be allowed to remain as such. Our women marry and bear children. They are what we fight for and what we go home to – they do not fight at our side. If she were to come she would have to understand her role."

"Uh, okay." He was going to let Daniel tell her!

"If you help us win the battle against the Adrano, I will help you save your friends and you may come with us. You will have to obey our laws and live as we do."

"I understand. As long as we are not slaves?"

"No, we do not have slaves."

Over the course of the next few days Atta, Germanicus, Arminius (Germanicus' Lieutenant) went over plans for the upcoming battle.

"We will have to leave within the next couple of days otherwise we risk hitting winter weather."

"What do you hope to achieve? Are you planning to take the city?"

"No, that is not possible, not yet. However, if we can win a major battle so close to their major city it will cause great fear amongst the people. It will also cause them to pull their forces back to protect the city. This will free many of our territories and allow us to rebuild and secure our forces."

"Okay, well, in that case here's what I think you should do." For the next two hours Jack went over the battle strategy he'd devised for the Alemmani.

It was true that the Adrano had better weaponry and knew how to fight – but they were used to fighting on their terms. The thing their enemies had to do was make sure the Adrano were forced to fight on _Alemmani_ terms.

The armies under Germanicus had greater numbers and the men were well-trained and strong. They were also fighting for their freedom and the freedom of their families and friends.

Three days later the army headed out, lead by Germanicus. Jack and Atta followed in a wagon. They thanked their hosts but knew they couldn't stay back even though neither of them could fight.

"If we win", Germanicus had told him, "we will sneak you into the city and you can find your friends and bring them out."

"Uh, that sounds a little too simple."

Germanicus grinned – God, he looked just like his brother when he did that!

"Do not worry Oneo. You will have help." Jack certainly hoped so. If the plan relied on him they were all in big trouble.

Each day his legs got a little better but he was still unable to walk. Hell, he still could barely move them. And, they looked awful. He'd lost muscle tone and then, on top of that they were multi-colored from the various bruises, welts and cuts. Add to that the swelling and he looked like something out of a horror movie.

As they'd prepared to be taken down from the loft he'd demanded some pants. He was sick of going around naked or semi-naked. It was difficult to find anything for him as he people were all poor and most didn't have extra sets of clothing. Eventually, however, he was provided with some clothes.

"I have to wear this?" he held up a short kilt that reached his upper thighs and only just covered the important bits. For his top he was given a leather jerkin that was too tight – and left one shoulder and arm bare. He figured it must be for ease in fighting – although the damn thing squeezed the bruises on his chest and back and wasn't very comfortable.

"Yes, what is wrong with it?" asked Atta, his eyebrows raised.

"Well, it doesn't cover much."

"That is because you are tall. On us it would be longer."

"Okaaay" he looked at it in disgust. This was not going to be pretty. "What about underwear?"

"Under – what?"

"Underwear? Don't tell me you don't wear them?"

"Uh, I do not know what they are."

"You know – clothes that protect my manly attributes; so I'm not hangin' in the wind."

"Oh", Atta laughed. "I will get you some cloth and you can tie it around your – 'attributes'." Jack could hear the man laughing all the way out of the barn.

Atta returned with the promised cloth, which Jack managed to tie around himself. "Damned diaper", he muttured. He'd hoped to see the last of these bloody loincloths.

Atta also handed him a pair of sandals, which laced up his leg. Looking at the swollen, cut flesh he doubted whether he wanted to wear them.

"You do not have to put them on now but you may need them if you go into Adrano to free your friends."

Nodding, he set them down beside him and finished dressing. When done he wished he had a mirror to see how he looked. He hadn't seen himself since they'd been kidnapped. His hair had grown out quite a bit but it was his beard that was the most bothersome. The damn thing itched and he figured it probably made him look ten years older.

"Atta, do you have a razor? I'd like to shave."

"Do you think that is wise Oneo?"

"I think I can handle it Atta. I've been doing it for a lot of years."

"That is not what I meant. You may be going into Adrano to retrieve your friends. No one will recognize you as the slave who was sold a few months ago with that beard. It is a good disguise."

Sighing Jack had to agree. So for now, the beard would stay.

It had been quite a production to get him down the ladder and out to the wagon. For the first time he wondered how they had gotten him up in the first place. Once settled, a blanket over top of him, he lay back and simply enjoyed the fresh air.

God, it had been so long! Looking up at the blue sky and the few white clouds he felt truly free for the first time in a long while. He also felt like he was finally doing something.

"Daniel, Sam, I'm coming – just hold on."


	7. Salvus

**_Salvus = Safe_**

The Adrano army was made up of extremely well trained, battle-hardened soldiers. They were a formidable force and the Alemanni did not take victory for granted.

Germanicus was feeling quite optimistic, however. With the recent gains his forces had made, and now with the added advantage of Oneo and his understanding of tactics he thought they might have a good chance.

Up until now the Adrano had been the aggressors and had set the terms of the battles they fought. Now things were different. The Alemanni were advancing and they were the ones who would decide where and when to fight.

The Adrano armies used complex and extremely effective battle strategies. The problem with them was that they required large areas of flat, clear lands. Usually battles took place on plains or in farmer's fields. Today would be different.

Oneo had suggested a combination of surprise and fighting in different terrain. The Germanni planned to ambush their enemy from their position in the expansive forest the Adrano had to pass through to reach their target destination.

Adrano armies were advancing to strike at the heart of their enemy's territory. Fortunately, Germanicus had a number of spies who had gotten word to him of the planned attack. He had quickly rallied the largest force ever of Alemanni soldiers and decided to move out immediately and to wage an attack of his own.

So far, the word he'd received from his spies was that the Adrano were unaware of his advance. He prayed that it remained that way as surprise was a key element to their strategy.

He had been surprised at the depth of knowledge Oneo had for someone who claimed to know little about Adrano itself. Atta had told him that Oneo was a stranger who had been stolen from his home – a place called Eruth – and brought to be sold as a slave. According to his brother he had been blind for many months and had never even seen the city.

Germanicus grew somewhat suspicious although in fact he liked Oneo. He just prayed his feeling of kinship with the man didn't cloud his judgment.

Oneo had explained that Adrano was very similar to a place in his own history and that was why he knew so much about the fighting. Again, Germanicus hoped it was all true.

Certainly the strategy that Oneo proposed seemed viable. It was different from their usual way of fighting and, if he could get his men to embrace it, might make all the difference in their ongoing fight against the Adrano.

Jack had laughed to himself the first night after he and the others discussed battle plans. He'd had to pull out all his university courses (Daniel would be proud) as well as his knowledge of more modern warfare. What he proposed was a combination of ancient battle tactics and 20th century guerilla warfare. He just prayed it would work. If it was a major disaster he wasn't quite sure what they'd do to him – probably just give him back to the Adrano.

As he sat beside Atta in the wagon he also thought about the plan to try and retrieve Sam and Daniel. Germanicus had promised, if the battle went well, that he'd help Jack get into Adrano city and hunt for his teammates. He had been unsure how that was going to happen with his inability to do much but the prince had simply laughed and slapped him on the back.

"Do not worry Oneo! We have it all covered."

Not worry? That's all he did anymore, he realized. Since he and his team had been taken he'd alternated between worry – for his teammates and for himself – and despair. He preferred the worry!

It took the army over two days to reach their planned destination and another whole day to set things up. He and Atta were sent a couple of 'milles' or miles away to wait for the results of the battle.

In some ways Jack would have liked to observe the battle itself - it would have been an incredible opportunity to view 'history in action'. But, after thinking about it he decided he was better off at a distance. He knew it would be extremely bloody and probably horribly distressing to watch. He couldn't even imagine what it would be like to take part in that kind of close, hand-to-hand combat, in the midst of a huge ancient army.

So, early on the morning of the battle he and Atta were camped out far enough away that retreating or runaway soldiers shouldn't bother them. They were armed just in case however, although Jack wasn't sure how good he'd be with a sword and short spear. He enjoyed looking at them and was especially intrigued with the shield. He wondered if they'd let him take them back when he returned home. He'd love to hang them in his house – and Daniel would be so jealous!

The sounds of the battle began to reach them about mid-morning. It was a grey and cloudy day and by noon it had started to rain. That was good Jack realized. It would give the lighter, more nimble Alemanni an advantage. He'd heard the Adrano didn't like to fight in bad weather as it disrupted their more intricate maneuvers.

It was eerie, listening to the rain and the muffled sounds of men fighting. They could only hear bits and pieces; mainly shouts and the occasional scream. For the most part they felt more than heard anything. It was as if the ground was conveying the hits and strikes of the men. It was an odd and uneven, yet constant, vibration that Jack could feel throughout the day.

The battle went on for hours and they had no way of knowing which way things were going. They had spent part of the time talking, trying to distract each other, but after a while they both grew quiet. They knew their fates, and those of their friends and families, rested on the outcome of the day. If the Alemanni failed it would be a decisive victory for the Adrano, one from which they would possibly never recover.

It had grown dark before the sounds began to die out. They waited impatiently for someone, anyone to come and tell them what had happened. Shortly thereafter they began to hear the sounds of people approaching. There was talk and some laughter, but they couldn't tell what language was being spoken. Were Adrano soldiers coming their way or Alemanni? Were they in danger?

Suddenly, without warning, a small group of soldiers appeared almost in front of them. Jack didn't know who was more startled, they or the soldiers. One of them shouted and weapons were drawn. Jack pulled out his sword knowing he had little chance. They were outnumbered and he couldn't even stand. Just as he was about to say his last prayers a voice came from the dark.

"Atta?"

"Yes? Who are you?"

"It is I, Arminius. I was sent by Germanicus to tell you."

"Tell me what?" Atta sounded tense. The other soldiers had stopped, realizing that this man was Prince Atta and his friend.

"That we have been victorious. The day is ours!"

There was a loud 'whoop' from Atta, who struggled to his feet and hugged Arminius. Jack didn't have the energy to make a sound; he simply lowered his shaky arm, which was holding his sword, and smiled. He could feel the surge of relief that swept through him.

One of the soldiers came up and knelt beside him. "Thank you. Germanicus says that it is because of you we have vanquished our enemy. I honor you."

Suddenly all the soldiers seemed to come to attention around Jack and, one by one, thanked him. He felt humbled, and grateful, but also sad. He knew that many people had been lost this day – both Adrano and Alemanni. As much as he had spent much of his life in the military he hated war and what it did to people.

"So Oneo" Atta squatted down and slapped him on the back. "You have become a hero and yet you simply sat on your ass all day!"

"You're one to talk farm boy!" O'Neill returned. "You did a pretty good job of 'ass-sitting' yourself."

"Yes, but I am not being hailed as a hero."

"Yeah, well they shouldn't be calling me one either! They'll get over it soon enough. It's really Germanicus who deserves their praise. He's one helluva commander."

"Yes but do not discount yourself Oneo. Without you I do not believe we would have won."

"Okay, enough already!" Jack could feel himself start to feel uncomfortable. He grinned then, thinking about his team. He needed them right now. They'd make sure to keep him humble and not let the hero-worship go to his head.

"Tomorrow we will help you get your friends back", Arminius told him. "The plan is ready and we will leave early so I suggest you rest."

"Ah okay." Jack laid his head back and pulled a blanket over himself. He was curious as to what was the plan but Arminius had already left. He couldn't wait to see his friends.

It was the next morning before they saw Germanicus. He had obviously been up all night, dealing with the aftermath of the battle. They had lost men and there were a number of wounded but casualties were surprisingly small. They were much better, in fact, than after their more usual battles.

"You plan worked well Oneo", Germanicus was sitting eating breakfast with them. "We took them completely by surprise and I don't think they were ever able to get their feet under them after that. They were also unable to use their normal battle formations since we were in the forest. They were in disarray from the beginning but they are fine soldiers and put up a real fight." He leaned back against one of the wagons, clearly exhausted from the battle and its aftermath. "When it started to rain, I knew we had won. The rest of the time we had small skirmishes but a lot of their army began to flee. All-in-all it was a good day."

"What happens now?" Jack asked. He wasn't too sure of how the Alemanni dealt with victory.

"Well, we have quite a few captives, many of them officers. We will have to decide what to do with them."

Jack suspected that execution was one way of dealing with the vanquished but he sincerely hoped that wasn't the case now. "What about ransom? I expect many of the officers are from wealthy families who would be willing to pay dearly for them."

"Yes, that is a possibility. We can also trade for some of our families who have been taken, although that is more difficult." He closed his eyes, on the verge of passing out. "I will think about it later." He was just about out when his eyes opened and he sat up. "But I am forgetting, my friend. It is time for you to go and get your comrades." He stood up and called Arminius over. "Is everything ready?"

"Yes my Prince. I am ready to leave."

"Good." He turned to Oneo. "Arminius is to go with you as well as a couple of soldiers who will be dressed as slaves. His mother was Adrano and he speaks the language fluently. He will take you into the city."

"But how and what are we going to do?"

Germanicus and Atta both grinned. Uh oh, thought Jack, he didn't think he was going to like this.

They got him up into a wagon, but not before helping him change into a ragged cloak. He lost the kilt and tunic but wasn't sure if he was upset or grateful! Fortunately the cloak was warm, if somewhat itchy. He hated the fact that underneath all he had was his damned loincloth. He would just have to have the cloak pulled around him at all times.

As they traveled the bumpy road towards Adrano he couldn't help but wish for a nice hot bath, some shampoo and a razor. Following that he'd put on a warm pair of sweats (with underwear!), order a pizza and sit in front of the TV. No, scratch that! He'd take all the above but instead of TV he'd have his team over and they'd sit and talk and laugh. The thought warmed him but also made him feel sad. He missed them all so much – and he missed his life. He wanted to go home.

The journey to Adrano was another two days of traveling. It allowed him more time to rest and feel better although he knew he had a long way to go. He'd insisted on trying to walk and had immediately fallen over on his butt. Arminius had 'tutted' – yes, the man actually 'tutted'.

"What am I – a child?" he'd responded. Arminius had grinned and nodded. He'd obviously met Daniel in another life.

So, here he was, still sitting – like he'd done for months now. He wondered if his body would even remember how to walk. He still didn't know how he was going to escape.

They arrived in the city early in the morning and that's when the plan was put in place.

So, here he sat on a filthy street in the middle of the main market. His cloak was around his shoulders and torso but Arminius had insisted his legs be bare. They looked horrible so 'added to the story' according to the sadistic lieutenant (who'd simply laughed when Jack called him that).

He was a beggar! He'd gone from being a Colonel – a respected senior officer in the US Air Force – to a slave to a bloody beggar. From what Arminius told him he looked the part. With his wounds, the weight he'd lost and his – filthy – grey hair and beard he looked considerably older and definitely not able-bodied.

"This is the best place to see people Oneo" Arminius had explained. "Everybody in the city, including slaves, come here at one time or another and this will be much less suspicious than if we were to ask questions. No one really notices a beggar – they just accept their presence. They will think you are a veteran of one of the wars."

"Can't say they treat their veterans very well!"

"Do they treat yours better in your country."

Jack sadly thought for a moment of all the homeless veterans across America. "Not always."

"Yes, well it is a good story – and if anyone asks you can talk about the battles you have been in. You speak the language surprisingly well but if anyone comments on your slight accent you must tell them you are from the provinces. People speak somewhat differently there."

"So, what happens if I don't see my friends right away? What am I supposed to do at night."

"I am sorry Oneo but you must remain. Just find a corner to sleep on. We will watch out for you but to help you directly would again create suspicion. I'm sure one of the shopkeepers will help you. It is considered good to help a beggar – although they won't do much more than let you sleep in their doorway. Someone will bring you food – I will make sure of it."

"Great! Thanks. I can see this is going to be fun!"

"Do you not wish to find your friends?"

He sighed. He knew he shouldn't be complaining but he still felt so helpless – and was so tired of being uncomfortable and in pain. "Yes, of course. And I do appreciate the help. It's just that I'm used to being a fighting man and sitting around 'begging' isn't exactly my idea of fun."

"I understand Oneo and I honor you for what you are doing to retrieve your friends. We will pray it does not take long. Once you have identified them and discovered where they are you will let Marcus know. I will send him daily to give you money – just tell him when you have news and we will arrange to get them out. It will be dangerous and we will have to move quickly so be prepared."

He knew he was going to be a hindrance in that. "Arminius, if it's a choice between my friends and me you are to get them out okay? Don't worry about me – just leave. I don't want to destroy their chances of escape because my damn legs won't work."

"Do not worry Oneo. We will get all of you out." That was the last he'd seen of Arminius for a few days, although Marcus came by each day and gave him some coins.

So, here he sat, asking everyone who walked by for money for the 'poor old soldier who'd fought for his country." At least that wasn't a lie, he thought although he wouldn't tell them what country that was! He realized that what Arminius had said was true – most people ignored him or walked by and turned their heads, not wanting to acknowledge his existence.

To them he was a pathetic creature, no longer human. Oh, many of them tossed coins on the piece of cloth by his side, but few took the time to speak with him. He truly was invisible. It made him rethink all those times he'd walked by someone begging on the street back home. He suddenly wondered how many of them had fought for their country, or how many of them ended up there because of circumstances beyond their control.

As he sat, hour upon hour, he began to examine his own humanity and how he viewed the world. Whether or not he ever escaped this planet he knew it had changed him.

He'd been here five days already and was really beginning to wonder if this was ever going to work. He was cold and miserable all the time. Although he managed to eat and drink enough to stay alive he could never get comfortable and the nights were getting colder and colder. His legs didn't seem to be getting any better and some of the cuts began to look red. He was worried that infection was setting in.

He figured that if he'd been in a hospital – or more likely the infirmary – the Docs would have had him on medication and therapy to help the healing process. Lack of nourishment, being constantly subjected to the elements, and the inability to truly rest simply made it difficult for his body to heal.

The other issue was that he was filthy. He'd thought he was bad when he'd left the ship but now, after sitting in one spot all day, splashed by mud as vehicles went by and being coated by the fine dust kicked up by pedestrians, he knew he must look, and smell, like something the cat dragged in.

He was sitting feeling miserable, and sorry for himself, when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't sure what it was he'd seen – it was something, however. He stopped his constant 'begging' and turned his head. There it was again – a movement or something that seemed familiar. He looked around, unable to pinpoint who, or what it was, when a familiar voice spoke.

"Here you go old man. I don't have much but maybe this will help." A small coin dropped down beside him but he didn't even glance down. Instead, he looked up into the face of his best friend – the young man who years ago, had saved his life and now had become part of his new family. Daniel was looking at him kindly, but without recognition.

"Are you okay?" he asked the beggar. He'd noticed the man once or twice in the last couple of days but hadn't approached him. Today, however, something had drawn him over to the man.

"Daniel", the beggar replied softly. Daniel looked down sharply. Who was this man? How did he know him?

"Yes, do I know you?" he asked.

"I sure hope so", Jack replied. "or all my work trying to teach you not to get yourself killed all these years has failed."

Oh my God! He immediately squatted down and looked the man in the face.

"Jack! It's you! Oh God", he reached out to hug his friend who immediately pulled away.

"Don't Danny. It'll look suspicious." He found it so hard to say that as there was nothing he wanted more than to feel his friends arms around him. Daniel pulled back, shocked and hurt.

"Jack?"

"Daniel, it's not that I don't want you to – God knows I've missed you and I'm so glad to see you – but we have to get away and we can't do anything suspicious. Please understand."

Daniel nodded. Of course, Jack was right. There would be time for an emotional reunion later on. He looked carefully at his friend and was shocked at what he saw. Jack looked like an old man – years older than his actual age. He was so thin and pale and had clearly had a rough time. He suddenly remembered something.

"You can see?" he asked.

"Yeah, whatever it was they gave me wore off. Look Daniel, we don't have a lot of time here before someone notices you chatting up a beggar. I'm here to rescue you." As Daniel raised his eyebrows Jack grinned. "I know, it doesn't look like it but there are others here. I'm the 'decoy'. You need to tell me where you're living. Also" he stopped, not sure he wanted to know, "do you know where Carter is?"

"Yes. She was sold to a woman – actually the sister of my 'Master'. The woman's name is Acquilina and I am at the house of Aetius."

"How is she Danny?" he asked worriedly. Something in Daniel's tone scared him.

"She's having a rough time. Her 'owner' is a vicious bitch and seems to have it in for Sam. She's okay although she's been beaten. I think the psychological pain is the worst. She'll feel much better when she hears about you. We've both been worried."

"Yeah, well I'm okay – even if I may not look it right now – but that's just for effect."

Daniel looked at his legs and then back up at Jack with an incredulous expression.

"Effect Jack? That looks pretty real to me."

"It's not permanent Daniel. It just needs some cleaning and time to heal and I'll be as good as new. Look, you'd better go. I'm here until we can all get out of this. A man by the name of Arminius is helping me. If he comes to you do whatever he says. We're going to try and get out of the city soon."

"But where will we go?"

"To the Alemanni. They have offered us refuge until we can find our way home."

"Okay." Daniel wanted to stay and talk. He wanted to find out what had happened to his friend and how he'd ended up where he was but knew Jack was right. It would start to look suspicious if he stayed any longer. After telling Jack where he was – and where Sam lived – he left.

"Take care of yourself Jack. We'll be out of here soon."

"I hope so Danny, I hope so."

Jack was able to let Marcus know what he'd discovered later that afternoon. The young man came back the next day and told him that plans were in place. All they had to do was get word to Sam and Daniel and arrange to meet them one night and then get them all out of the city by the east gate.

"But that's over by the water", he exclaimed. He'd used his time in the Market to try and learn all he could about the layout of the city.

"Yes, Arminius has hired a boat. He felt it was the fastest and quietest way to leave the city. They are less likely to follow us that way."

Jack nodded although he felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. Ever since his time in the galley – and after having been practically killed when it sank – he'd developed an irrational fear of the water. He could feel himself begin to sweat.

It really wasn't the water so much as it was the thought of ending up back in the galleys. He knew he would die before he ever let that happen again. Traveling by boat just brought that possibility closer.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Daniel was thrilled to have discovered that Jack was here and was safe, although he was disturbed at how bad he'd looked. He hoped his friend was right and it just required some time for him to get back to his old self.

He was excited about the possibility of finally getting away. The first thing he had to do was let Sam know and then figure out a way to get her away from the Villa. He knew she never left on her own but only in the company of Acquilina. For him it wouldn't be difficult but for Sam it was going to be almost impossible.

He'd run into Arminius the day after seeing Jack. The man told him he would be by daily to check in with Daniel. When everything was ready they would leave.

It took a couple of days before he had the chance to see Crispus and tell him he needed to speak with Sam. Later that afternoon he received word that Sam was accompanying Acquilina to the market the next day. Daniel had to make sure he was there.

He actually worried that Sam might run into Jack and give him away. Normally it wouldn't be a concern but lately he knew her emotions were running very close to the surface. He was afraid she was going to break one day soon and thought that coming face to face with Jack might just be the catalyst needed to make that happen.

So, the next morning he camped out in the market and kept his eyes open for sight of Sam. It was late in the morning by the time he saw her arrive with Acquilina. He gasped when he saw her – half her face looked swollen and black and blue. She was also limping badly and was walking bent over. He caught a glimpse of her back and could see traces of blood. Oh God, it looked like she'd been whipped.

What made the whole thing worse, he realized, was that when he looked at Acquilina he could see that she was wearing a blond wig. It had very evidently been made from Sam's hair. The sight of it made him want to vomit – or to kill the woman. As much as he knew they had to try to escape quietly, he hated the fact that this woman would not receive any kind of justice.

For the most part Sam stayed close to Acquilina, being very careful to follow all her instructions to the letter. She was in pain, and truly was on the breaking point, but kept telling herself to hold it together. Jack was coming – she felt it in her bones – and she had to hold on.

The day before had started out like all the others. She'd gotten up early to make sure everything was the way Acquilina liked it. She'd had to put up with the constant abuse of Octavia but had managed to ignore most of it. Finally she'd been called to her Mistress' room.

Acquilina was in a bad mood this morning so Sam tiptoed around very carefully. She knew it was days like this that bad things could happen to a slave.

Halfway through her 'toilette' Acquilina had asked Sam to bring her favorite bottle of perfume. Sam had reached for it carefully and walked over with it. She went to give it to Acquilina when the woman turned suddenly and knocked it from her hand. Sam could see the bottle flying through the air, almost in slow motion.

"Imbecile!" Acquilina had cried. "You have destroyed my favorite perfume." Considering the fact that Acquilina bought it by the gallon, and the fact that she had obviously and very intentionally knocked it out of Sam's hand, her 'slave' didn't respond. There was nothing she could say or do anyway.

The one thing Sam refused to do, however, was cower. It wouldn't help her and wouldn't lessen the punishment she knew was coming so she decided to hold her head up high and look the woman right in the eye. She put every ounce of hatred and contempt that she felt for this woman in her expression.

With a scream Acquilina reached for one of the alabaster jars on her table and hit Sam in the side of the face with it. It knocked her off her feet and she knew she was going to have a helluva black eye. She stood back up and continued to stare at her tormenter.

"You will be sorry for this! Octavia!" she screamed. The housekeeper arrived almost instantly. Sam wondered if she had known this was coming.

"Have her punished. And this time, get one of the men to do it!" Uh oh, thought Sam, this was going to be way worse.

And it was. She'd been stripped to the waist and tied to the pole in the courtyard used for this purpose. She'd then been beaten with a switch. She supposed it wasn't nearly as bad as the lash which the Colonel had felt, but it was painful enough. She tried to be quiet but was soon whimpering with pain. At first the switch simply caused welts to appear but after a while she could feel the blood drip down her back as the skin was broken.

By the time she was let down she was almost unconscious from the pain. She glanced up and met the eyes of Linus, the man who had beaten her. He looked at her apologetically. He hated having to do this but was as much a slave as was she. If he hadn't done it Acquilina would simply have gotten someone else. She was grateful that it was Linus; he'd always treated her well and she suspected he'd gone a bit easier than others would have.

Lydia helped her to their room and washed her back with healing herbs. She then helped bind the wounds and dried Sam's tears.

"It is okay Samanta. Just rest." Since there was nothing else she could do she closed her eyes and again prayed that somehow they'd get out of this.

"Sam", she heard her name called. Looking around quickly she could see Daniel in the doorway of a shop that had recently closed down. Checking to see that Acquilina was engaged with one of her talkative friends, Sam inched closer.

"Daniel" she said in relief. He was just what she needed right now.

"Sam, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Daniel – just had a bit of a run in with Acquilina."

He worried about her but also knew they had little time so he got right into it. "Jack's here and he's ready to get us out."

"Where? Where is he? Is he okay?" She reached out and grabbed his arms.

"He's close and yes, he's alright – a bit battered and bruised is all. Look, we have to figure a way to get out. Is there anytime when you can get away from the Villa?"

She knew it was going to be difficult but she also knew she had to go soon – otherwise she was going to do something she'd forever regret.

"Acquilina is having a banquet in three days. I'll be busy all day, helping her get ready, but once her guests arrive I should be excused. She'll just want the serving staff there. It'll be pretty busy so I should be able to slip away without anyone seeing me."

"All right. We'll have someone waiting for you in the small piazza at the end of the street. Come when you can and be ready to move quickly."

"I will Daniel, don't worry."

"If there's a problem, send Crispus."

"Okay. Will you see the Colonel before then?"

"Probably."

"Tell him … tell him I'm glad he's okay and that I knew he'd come for us." She glanced over and saw that Acquilina looked to be finishing her conversation. "I have to go – and thank you Daniel." He watched as she moved over to Acquilina. Although she still limped he was sure he saw a spring to her step that he hadn't seen before.

He glanced over to where Jack sat, still pretending to be the beggar. He could tell the man's eyes were on him. He had probably recognized Sam and was wondering what was happening. Slowly making his way over he pulled out a small coin and tossed it next to Jack.

"She'll be ready to go in three days."

"That was Carter then?" Jack asked, looking over to where Acquilina and her slave still stood.

"Yes."

"She doesn't look right." He had noticed her limp. He was also surprised at her posture. She didn't look at all like the strong, proud young woman he knew.

"She was beaten."

"WHAT!" Jack practically shouted. He quieted down when he realized he was gathering attention. "What", he repeated more softly. "Is she alright?"

"Sore. I think she was whipped. There's blood on her back."

"That bloody bitch! I'm going to kill her."

"Yeah, I'd like to do the same – but I don't see how. All the slaves would suffer as a result and it's more important we get away."

"I know Daniel, but I can dream, can't I?"

"Oh yeah – believe me, I've fantasized plenty about what to do about that woman."

Jack continued to watch Sam, anguished over what she'd been through but knowing it wouldn't help to stew over what had been done. Now was the time to look ahead.

"She told me to tell you she knew you'd come." Daniel watched the older man carefully. He knew there was something special between these two, although he also knew it had never gone anywhere. It couldn't, not with the ways things were. Still, it didn't stop them from caring about one another.

"Yeah, well it took me long enough", he said in disgust. "I should have managed it months ago."

"Mmmm, I see. I suppose you were off fishing somewhere or something and just couldn't make it back any sooner?"

"Or something." Jack answered seriously. He then stopped and then looked at his friend with an ironic smile on his face. "I was kinda tied up for awhile."

Daniel laughed, although it wasn't a humorous sound. "Yeah Jack, I heard. I just can't figure out how you escaped."

Jack looked at him in surprise. How did Daniel know where he'd been? Well, now was not the time to worry about it. "Another time Daniel and we can compare notes about the last few months. For now let's just figure out how the hell to get out of here."

Once the details had been spelled out Daniel returned to Aetius' house. He knew his Master wanted him for the afternoon. He was helping translate some Germanic texts about a battle in which Aetius had fought. He kind of liked the man but hated the fact that he was so blind about slavery.

The day of Acquilina's party arrived and the servants were worked to the bone from well before sunrise and all through the day. Sam had it particularly bad as the Mistress was anxious and demanding. She wanted to ensure the party went off without a hitch. It turned out that among the guests were to be some of her dead husband's family. This dinner was to be a reconciliation of sorts. HIs son, from his first marriage, had made claims against some of the property inherited by Acquilina. Instead of letting it go to the courts they had agreed to meet and work out some kind of deal.

"Little idiot thinks he can steal my property", she muttured as Lydia did her hair. She had once again decided to wear the blond wig – which made Sam sick every time she looked at it. He own hair had started to grow again but was still not much more than a fine fuzz on her bald scalp.

By the time the evening came she was in every bit as bad a state as Acquilina. She was terrified that she'd be caught and would never escape this hell. Once the women slaves who weren't serving were excused they all headed back to the dormitory. There were only two other besides Lydia and her and both of them immediately crawled into bed, exhausted from the day.

Sam lay there for a while, hoping that Lydia would go to sleep, but instead she appeared to want to talk about the day. She had to somehow get away without letting the young girl know. She didn't want to put her in danger.

"Lydia, I'm sorry. I'm so tired I just want to sleep." Her friend nodded and smiled. Lying down she closed her eyes. Sam waited for a few minutes until she was sure Lydia was asleep and then she carefully stood up and left the room. She didn't notice Lydia's eyes follow her as she began her escape.

She slowly made her way to the back of the villa, towards the stable door. She knew enough to avoid the kitchen, which would be teaming with people. As she slowly opened the door into the back yard, she also didn't notice the lone figure standing quietly outside. She had taken a few steps when a voice stopped her.

"Where do you think you are going? Leaving to meet your lover in the stables slut?"

It was Octavia! Damn. She turned slowly to see the woman she had grown to hate as much, if not more, than Acquilina.

"I just came for some fresh air. I was hot after working so hard all day."

"Don't lie to me. You aren't here for fresh air. You will be sorry you know. I will tell the Mistress you were trying to escape."

"Why do you hate us all so much Octavia? You are a slave too."

"I am no slave! I am housekeeper to Acquilina. I have a position of importance."

"You are a slave, whatever you call yourself. Why don't you go in to Acquilina and tell her you are leaving and see what happens? You have no more freedom than we do."

"I have the confidence of my Mistress. That is all I need."

"She just needs a spy and enforcer. Do you think she cares about you? She doesn't care about anyone but herself and I think you know that."

"Enough talk. You are about to be punished in a way that will have you screaming. You think you're better than all of us? Well, you will be very sorry when you are left with a face that will make children cry. You can say goodbye to your beauty. I will make sure you are branded as a runaway." Octavia smiled and took a deep breath, ready to call out to one of the men servants.

Suddenly, before making a sound, her eyes grew big and a shocked expression appeared on her face. She simply stared at Sam and then slowly began to topple forward. Sam reached out instinctively and grabbed her as she fell. It was then she noticed the kitchen knife sticking out of her back.

"Come, we must hurry." She looked up in shock to see Crispus standing there with Lydia by his side. "She came and got me. She saw you leave and was worried. Come, we must go now." She let the body of the housekeeper down and Crispus immediately grabbed it and pulled it into the stable. He stuck her in an empty stall and covered her with hay.

"There, it will take them a while to find her. He turned to the women and gestured. Sam began to follow Crispus, still in a daze over what had happened. She had walked halfway down the street before she realized that Lydia was still with her.

"Lydia?" she asked.

"I am coming too. Acquilina will punish me when you are gone and she finds that Octavia is dead."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to suffer. You know what will happen if we are caught?"

"Yes, but I'd rather take the chance."

"All right. Then let's go." They walked to the corner and instantly a wagon pulled up beside them.

"Get in", a soft voice came from the front. The three of them crawled in and pulled the blankets overtop. Sam was aware that there were others lying quietly in the wagon but couldn't tell who it was. They all remained silent.

The trip seemed to take forever and she was constantly listening for pursuit. They traveled at a steady pace, the driver obviously knowing that going too fast would attract attention.

She began to smell the sea air and realized they were approaching the water. She'd only been here once before when Acquilina had decided she wanted to drive down to the seashore. After a few more minutes the wagon pulled to a stop. She could feel the driver and one other person step down and then heard some murmuring.

The blankets were taken off and a quiet voice spoke.

"Come on. We must hurry. Follow Marcus." Looking over she saw a young man gesturing to her. She moved over towards him swiftly, Lydia holding on tightly to her hand. They were instructed to walk across a narrow plank into a small boat. It was only as she settled down into it that she saw that Crispus and then Daniel followed her.

There was a bit of a pause and then she heard some fierce whispering. The next thing she saw was two men carrying another between them. He clearly wasn't happy but one of the men told him to 'shut up' after which he was quiet. He was placed in the bottom of the boat on Daniel's other side.

One of the men returned to the dock and gave the man with the wagon a purse and waved him off. He then came back and crossed into the boat. Once in he turned and lifted the plank into the boat.

"Let's go." Two of the men began to row and they quietly slipped through the city by way of a small canal until eventually they reached the open water.

No one said anything for a long time. They sat quietly, not moving. The only movement was that of the men softly rowing. The boat moved swiftly along the shoreline but eventually got away from the lights of the city. The black of the night covered them completely as they got farther away.

Sam was shivering with cold by this time and she and Lydia moved closer together to try and share warmth. Sam could just see Daniel but couldn't identify the others. She wondered where the Colonel was. She hoped he'd meet them at wherever the place was they were headed. She could see that the person they'd carried in was an old man and wondered if he was related to one of them.

They traveled quickly through the night, getting farther and farther away from Adrano. The more they traveled the more Sam felt like they might just be safe. She had no idea where they were going, or what more they had to do to escape, but for now she felt like they might just make it. As she hugged Lydia she was grateful that the young woman had come with her. She just prayed it meant safety for her and not death.

By the time the sun began to rise in the east Sam had lost feeling in her feet and was yearning for a nice toasty fire and a cup of tea. She wasn't sure when they planned to stop but hoped it was soon.

"There", one of the men was pointing. She looked in the direction of his finger and saw a larger ship sitting anchored in a small natural harbor. Slightly panicked, thinking it might be an Adrano warship, she was relieved to catch the grin of one of the men.

"Germanicus came through!" he whispered softly. Although it didn't look like there was anyone else around the soft mist of the morning made everyone speak softly.

"Hello", the first man called. There was an answering shout from the boat and soon there was more talking and laughing. The small boat they were on pulled up beside the larger one and she and Lydia were helped up the rickety, swinging ladder.

It was only as she reached the top and turned around that she realized there was some problem down below.

"What's wrong?" she asked the sailor who had helped her.

"Looks like someone doesn't want to come on board."

"Jack, come on! We'll help you." Jack? He was here? But she hadn't seen him on the boat. All she'd seen, other than Crispus and Daniel, were the two men who'd rescued them and neither had been big enough to be the Colonel. The only other person on board was the old man and he ….oh God – that had to be the Colonel. Why hadn't she known? She hadn't even said anything to him.

She looked over the side and this time could clearly see him. She realized that his beard and long hair had made him look older but he still appeared frail and weak. She then remembered back to last night and the argument. It had been Jack and he'd had to be carried on board. That must mean he was injured or sick.

"Sir", she called down softly. He instantly looked up and saw her. She was shocked at his face, which looked like it had aged considerably. He was clearly in bad shape – but what really startled her was the look of terror on his face. For some reason he was refusing to move.

As soon as he saw Carter looking down at him he felt ashamed. He had had a complete panic attack when they'd arrived at the ship. It brought back too many horrific memories and he'd lost all sense of reality. Oh, he knew too that he was weak and sick and that made it harder to deal with things. Still, he couldn't ever remember panicking like this before. Now he had Carter looking down at him. God, he thought, she was so beautiful and he was so lucky that she and Daniel were okay. What the hell was he doing just sitting here?

He turned to Daniel who was looking at him with real concern. "Sorry Danny", he whispered. "Don't know what came over me. Help me up will you?"

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. Jack's panic had frightened him like nothing he could ever remember. He always thought of the man as practically invincible and to see that he was, in fact, human and could fear things just like anyone had knocked his world off kilter.

"Okay Jack", with the help of Marcus and Arminius, they managed to pull Jack to a standing position although they had to keep a hold as he still wasn't able to stand by himself.. Daniel then took the rope that one of the sailors had thrown over the side and made a harness with it. "Here, I'll have to loop this around you. I'll be careful."

"Yeah, okay", Jack was hanging on to his emotions by the skin of his teeth. He was really afraid he was going to start blubbering any second.

As Daniel tied the rope around his friend he could see how bad Jack actually looked. He was filthy but under the weeks – months? – of grime were all sorts of open cuts and terrible bruises. As he reached around his back he could also feel the awful raised scars on his back. This man had really been through the ringer.

"Okay, all ready. Just hold on tight and you'll be in the ship in no time."

"That's what I'm afraid of Daniel!" Jack had tried to joke but it fell flat as his real terror could be heard in his words. The ride here in the small boat had been bad enough. The smell of the water and the feel of the waves made him want to throw up. The worst part was he knew it was fear, not seasickness.

As frightened as he was, he refused to close his eyes as they pulled him up. It would remind him too closely of his last time being taken on to a boat, when he was totally blind.

The sailors grabbed a hold of him as he was pulled over the railing and gently undid the ropes. They then laid him down on the deck and someone covered him with a blanket.

He could feel himself start to fade, but knew it was more out of a desire to disassociate himself from everything rather than any true return to unconsciousness.

Things became rather foggy and unfocused and he let himself drift until he felt a soft hand take his.

"Sir?" That voice. God, he'd wondered if he'd ever hear it again. He opened his eyes and looked into those blue pools, awash now in tears.

"You know what Carter?" he said weakly.

"What Sir?"

"Wanting to hear you call me 'Sir' again - that's what kept me going all these months.

Closing his eyes he gently squeezed her hand. When she returned the gesture he allowed himself to drift off to sleep. They were safe and he had Carter back. He smiled.


	8. A Mitis Tactus

**A Mitis Tactus = A Gentle Touch**

_**A little present to my lovely readers who wanted a 'tidge' of romance! Anyway, I figured we could all use a bit of 'warmth' after all the whump. So, here you go!**_

"He looks so ill Daniel", Sam whispered. They were sitting in what must have been the captain's cabin. Jack had been placed on the small bunk bed and the two of them were sitting on a bench against the wall.

"I know. He's says it's not serious, that he just needs time. It could be true Sam. He's had it rough according to Arminius, and hasn't really had time to recover.

"Do you know what happened to him?"

"Just a bit. He was held for over four months on a galley but he got free with another man after the boat sank. The two of them were the only survivors but he was hurt. It turned out that the man who he escaped with was the brother of Germanicus - "

"The leader of the Alemanni" Sam finished. "I heard all about the war at Acquilina's. I heard there was a huge battle last week and that the Adrano lost. I was surprised at how little anyone seemed to care."

"I don't think it's real to them there. For centuries the Adrano have been the supreme power and they think they're invincible. I'm sure they think it was just a temporary setback."

"So the Colonel escaped with Germanicus' brother?"

"Yeah, Atta I think his name is. It turns out they were found by a farmer and his family who sent word to the Prince. Jack helped plan the battle that the Alemanni just won and in return Germanicus helped him save us."

Sam started to laugh weakly. When Daniel looked at her she waved a hand in the Colonel's direction. "Leave it to him to make friends with the locals, help them win a war _and_ save his team, all while seriously injured. Only Jack O'Neill!"

"What about Jack O'Neill?" a raspy voice interrupted their discussion. Daniel and Sam looked over to the bed to see the Colonel looking at them out of droopy eyes. He still looked so tired and sick, thought Sam.

"You're awake Sir. How are you feeling?"

Jack sighed. Couldn't they just once say something different when he woke up – something like 'hey Jack, want some pizza and beer?' "I'm fine Carter. What were you guys talking about?"

"Oh, just about the fact that we leave you alone for a few months and you make friends with royalty, help win a major battle and rescue your team from slavery – you know, nothing much."

"I was bored. Had to do something Danny."

Daniel laughed but Carter looked like she was almost in tears. What was wrong, wondered Jack? He'd thought she'd been fine when he woke up.

"Hey Carter – how are _you_ doing?" He looked at her closely and noticed how ill she looked. He wasn't the only one who'd been injured.

"I'm fine Sir."

"Nope! Sorry Major. I already used that line; from you I need the truth. How are you _really_ doing?"

"It's true Sir, I'm okay - just a bit sore but I'm happy we're free."

"Yeah, I hear ya Carter." He paused and looked at her seriously. "Was it bad?"

"Not that bad. Mostly I had to do a lot of house work."

"So _really_ bad", he smiled. "Well, don't worry – no housework for a while. Soon we'll be home and you can get back to kickin' Goa'uld ass rather than washing dishes." He saw her try to smile but it was a pathetic attempt. He looked at Daniel worriedly and the younger man frowned back at him. He'd never seen Carter quite like this before.

"Hey. What's with the head wrap thing?" He'd also never seen her wear something wrapped around her head like that. He saw her put her hand up and touch it and her eyes again filled with tears. Daniel made a slicing gesture across his throat, trying to get Jack to be quiet.

"What? What did I say? I just wondered why she had that thingy on."

"She shaved my head Sir", Sam said softly, not looking at him. "She wanted a blond wig. I think it's why she bought me."

There was complete silence in the small room, which seemed to go on forever. Sam finally lifted her head and looked at the Colonel. He was lying with his arm covering his eyes. She wondered at his lack of response to her statement.

"Sir?" she finally asked. He lowered his arm and looked at her. The blazing anger on his face shocked her. She had rarely ever seen him so angry.

"I'm sorry Sam", he said in a tight voice. "I'm sorry you had to deal with this. I promise you – if it is at all in my power I will get that bitch!"

"It's okay Colonel. It's not the worst thing that could have happened. It'll grow back."

Looking at his Second he knew that she was trying to be strong. He also knew that she was much more affected by this latest adventure than she was letting on. She was in a bad way, and he wished he knew how to help her.

The problem with him attempting to help Carter was that he knew he was in pretty bad shape himself. He'd held on until he could rescue his team but now he could feel himself start to crash. He figured she was in much the same boat. He laughed at the irony in that statement. Boats! How he hated them.

"Carter, you've been through a lot and it's going to take a while to process. Don't try and hide from it okay? Daniel and I are here to help." When she didn't answer he smiled and held out his hand. She leaned over and took it. "You know that right Carter?"

"Yes Sir", she gave a wobbly smile. "What about you? How are you doing – really Colonel?"

"Well, I'd like a bath."

"Yes Jack, we'd like that too."

"You don't look so dirty Daniel."

"No, I meant we'd _also_ like you to take a bath."

"That bad?"

"Yes." He glared at his archaeologist and friend, but since he knew Daniel was trying to lighten things up he really wasn't at all upset at his words.

"Colonel, I'd like to take a look at your wounds." Carter appeared to have gotten herself back in control.

"I knew you couldn't wait Carter. It's my legs isn't it? You just really want to look at them."

"Yes Sir", she grinned.

"Okay – but Daniel, you've got to stay and protect me."

Sam looked at the two men who were probably closer to her than anyone else in the world and felt her throat tighten with emotion. She knew what they were both doing, and she appreciated it, truly she did. She didn't know why she was feeling the way she was. She felt so lost, so fragile and that made her feel weak and out of control. She shouldn't be feeling this way, she thought. She hadn't had to put up with that much so why was she such a mess? Probably just tired, she decided. A little sleep and everything would seem better.

She sent Daniel to get some water and walked up to the Colonel. "Can I pull the blanket back Sir?" she asked carefully. She knew how much O'Neill hated this kind of thing.

"You really want to do this Carter? There's not much we can do right now anyway. Why not wait until we hit land."

"I know Sir, but I'd still like to check you out." She stopped and could feel her face grow red. When she looked at the Colonel she could see that his eyes were starting to droop and breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't caught what she'd said.

"'Kay", he muttered. He flinched a bit when she pulled back the blanket but then lay quietly. She didn't touch, just looked at the various bruises and cuts. She could tell that his ankles and knee were quite swollen and hoped they weren't broken. She looked up to ask him and saw that he was sound asleep. She smiled, knowing he needed the rest. She just stared at him for a few seconds, enjoying the opportunity to observe him so openly.

"Here you go Sam", Daniel's voice intruded on her moment of self-indulgence. "It's been boiled so it should be clean."

"Thanks Daniel. Can you hold it and I'll try to clean him up a bit."

"I think it's going to take a lot more than a cloth to get him clean. It looks like the dirt has been ground into his skin."

"You'd look pretty bad if you'd been kept chained for months Daniel", she said angrily.

"Hey, I know Sam. I'm not blaming him – just observing."

"I know. I'm sorry – I'm just tired and crabby."

"Yeah, we're all tired Sam. Just do what you can do. When we land we'll see about getting him bathed. It'll make him feel a lot better."

Sam gently and carefully tried to wipe Jack's dirt encrusted legs. She took special care around the cuts, some of which were looking slightly infected. She knew he had other wounds but didn't feel capable of dealing with anything more right now. She'd just have to wait until they landed.

Jack slept through the whole procedure. By the time she was done, Sam was ready to sleep as well. Daniel took the basin and left to empty it.

"You look exhausted Sam. Why don't you get some sleep too."

She nodded and waited until he'd left and then grabbed a blanket that someone had brought earlier and lay down on the floor to try and get some sleep.

His first reaction was pure panic. He could feel the rocking of the boat and the smell of the water and was sure he'd been taken back to the galleys. He jerked awake and pulled his arms back, expecting to feel the chains holding him trapped on the bench. By the time he'd returned to the present reality he'd broken into a sweat and his heart was racing.

Gulping in great breaths of air he slowly looked around the little cabin until everything came back to him. He was free and so were Sam and Daniel. They were on their way to safety – everything was okay. He put his head back down, knowing he needed to rest, but afraid to fall back to sleep. His dreams were filled with the thoughts, feelings and images of his time trapped on the galley. He also had dreams about the terrible lashing he'd received. Although those wounds had healed physically, he knew he had some deep mental scars that were only lightly scabbed over.

He heard a small sound – someone whimpering? He finally realized it was coming from the floor beside him and looked down.

"Carter?" he whispered. What the hell was she doing sleeping on the floor? She'd been injured too and looked like she could use a month of rest and pampering. There was no way he was going to lie in this bed and leave her on the floor.

"Carter", more loudly this time. "CARTER".

"Huh? What? I'm coming." He could see her scramble up, still mostly asleep, and realized she was back in that awful place of slavery just like he had been.

He could see the moment when she realized where she was – and that she was free. She looked relieved and then, looking over at him, worried.

"Sir? What is it? What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Well Major, what's wrong is that you're sleeping on the floor."

"I'm sorry Sir, I'll go if you want me to." Again he could tell she was on the verge of tears.

"For God sake Carter, that's not what I meant! Come here."

"What?"

"Come. Here."

"Oh", she walked over until she was right by the small bunk.

"Now climb in."

"What?" she squeaked.

"I said 'climb in' Major. I know it's tight but it's better than the floor, believe me."

"But I can't Sir."

"Sure you can. Here, I'll scoot over." It was awkward but he pushed himself back until he was pressed up against the wall. "There, now there's room."

"Not much Sir", she replied, looking at the tiny space he'd left.

"Well I'm sorry Major, but I can't provide a king bed. This'll have to do."

"I didn't mean it that way Sir. I just – the bed is for you. I'm fine on the floor."

"No you're not. Come on, I'm not going to bite, I promise. Look, there's no way I'm gonna rest with you on the floor. If this bothers you that much _I'll_ sleep on the floor and you can have the bed."

"No way Colonel! You need to rest on the bed."

"Look Carter, I just spent the last few months sleeping sitting up on a bench. I think I could handle a floor. But the fact is I really don't need to – there's room for both of us. Okay, okay, so it's a little tight but we'll keep each other warm that way. Just think of Antarctica."

She knew it was going to start to look very suspicious if she continued to argue. She just should have thanked him and gotten in in the first place. Why hadn't she acted nonchalant and just accepted his gesture rather than making a big deal about it?

"Are you gonna stand there thinking all day Carter? I'm gettin' kind of chilly here."

With a sigh she gave in. With a small 'thank you Colonel' she climbed up and lay down at the very edge of the bed, her back to him.

Suddenly an arm reached around and pulled her towards him. "You're gonna fall off if you try and sleep like that. Look Major, just relax and get some sleep okay."

"Okay Sir." She took a few deep breaths, trying to relax. It felt so good to be on a soft bed and off the cold floor. She also knew, deep down, that the Colonel's presence helped make her feel safe. She slowly began to drift off to sleep.

"I'm sorry Carter." he said softly.

"Hmmm?" she asked drowsily.

"I know I stink." She turned on her back and looked at him. It was true, he was filthy and he did smell – and she couldn't remember ever being so happy to be close to someone in her life.

"T'sokay Sir", she murmured. "I'm used to it – and you're nice and warm." Her eyes drifted closed and she began to feel as if she were floating. It felt wonderful. "I like sleeping with you."

Jack knew she didn't really mean it the way it sounded. And he knew that she was almost asleep. He looked at her and grinned – no, he took that back she was _totally_ asleep. So, he really shouldn't let her words warm him the way they did. _Warm _him? Actually, they made him feel …. hot! With another smile he closed his eyes and drifted off into the best sleep he'd had in months.

Daniel spent quite a while talking to Arminius, trying to find out more details of the battle and Jack's part in it. By the end of the discussion he whistled. Jack O'Neill – you are such a fraud!

O'Neill's tactics had shown an incredible knowledge of ancient history – ancient _Roman_ history to be exact. How the hell had he hidden all of this for so many years? Oh, he knew Jack was a lot smarter than he let on – but he had no idea of the extent of the knowledge the man had. And then of course there were the languages! He'd been the one to teach Jack Latin, but the man had far outpaced him ability. Ability and accent!

According to Arminius they had another two or more days in the boat and they they'd have to travel by land for another four or five before they reached their destination. They were being taken to Germanicus' stronghold and lands. There was a village there and, according to the Prince's lieutenant, there was land and housing to be had.

"Our population used to be bigger", he explained, "but we've lost people to the Adrano. With our victory we are hoping things will change."

Daniel sat for a while, enjoying the fresh sea air, and wondered what was in store for them. There didn't appear to be a Gate on this planet, and it didn't look like anyone from Earth was going to find them. He wondered if they'd be stuck here for the rest of their lives.

It could have been worse, he thought. They could have remained as slaves or have ended up as hosts on some other planet. At least they were among friendly people who seemed willing to take them in. In fact, he figured they probably welcomed the extra people. They could certainly use Jack's skills. He wondered if they had any need of scholars?

And then, of course, there was Sam. He was pretty sure this was a typical ancient society. Women had quite a bit of freedom here but he suspected their roles were pretty traditional. He wondered if Sam would be able to handle that.

He smirked when he had a sudden thought. There were no regulations here! Maybe Sam and Jack had a chance to get together. On that thought he stood up. Better check on them in case they needed anything.

Giving a short wave to Arminius he returned down below to the Captain's cabin. When he walked in he couldn't help but grin. Yup – maybe they wouldn't mind being stuck here after all! He stood quietly as he watched the two of them cuddle (yes, he would swear to Teal'c that they were 'cuddling'). Sam was spooned up to Jack, who had his arm around her stomach and his head placed firmly in the crook of her neck.

As he watched, his grin changed to a more gentle expression. They looked so peaceful, he thought. Their faces no longer showed the pain and anguish of the last few months. They looked as if they were at home, safe and secure in each other's arms.

Turning he left, quietly closing the door behind him. They didn't need him right now. They had one another.

The next time she awoke she felt more rested than she had in a long time. She lay there, just enjoying the warmth and the comfort. After a minute she realized she needed to pee. She tried to pull away but grew frightened when she discovered she was trapped. Panicking, she looked down, only to see an arm encircling her waist.

What? She suddenly realized it wasn't just an arm. There was a body pressed –very intimately – against her and someone's head cuddled up against her neck. She could feel the soft and warm breath of whoever it was.

She lay quietly until the memories came back. It was the Colonel – Jack. She was sleeping with him! Well, to be more technically accurate, _he_ was sleeping with her. Her first thought was she should get up, this wasn't right. Her next thought was – am I crazy? I have the sexiest man in the world cuddled up behind me - just enjoy it while it lasts Sam!

So, that's exactly what she did. She lay there enjoying the warmth, the feel of his arms and the soft tickle of his breath. She had an irresistible urge to reach down and hold the hand that was covering her stomach.

She'd always found the Colonel's hands to be fascinating. His fingers were so long and slender! They could be tough and strong – but also gentle and caring. She had a desperate need, all of a sudden, to take his hand and play with the fingers. She would love to kiss them and put them in her mouth – to suck and play with them – to – STOP! What the hell was she doing? She couldn't think this way. He was her commanding officer. God, she was walking into forbidden territory. Walking? Hell, she was running.

She forced herself to think of something else. Some mathematical formula – that was it. Think Sam, think! That didn't work, so instead she began to think about Teal'c. She wondered where he was and what he was doing. Had he given up on them? Had earth given up? Maybe they'd stay here forever.

If they stayed there'd be hope for her and J – STOP! She had to stop this. She couldn't let herself think these things. Maybe she should get up now. She went to move slightly, which caused the Colonel to shift his position and move closer to her.

Oh God. How in hell was she supposed to keep her mind of _those_ things when she could clearly feel him – every part of him – every _obvious_ part of him pressing into her backside.

He's sleeping Sam, it doesn't mean anything. It's just normal male physiology so ignore it!

Ignore it? How could she possibly ignore it? It was making her extremely hot – and making it impossible to stop thinking the things she shouldn't be thinking. This time it wasn't his hand she wanted to play with. She wanted to turn over and reach down –

"Sam?" his voice practically caused her to leap out of bed.

"Hey whoa. What's wrong?" he asked as she jumped a mile high. She was tense as a board.

"Sorry Sir. Uh, you startled me. I thought you were asleep." She muttered softly. She couldn't move now – it would be too obvious. Okay, she was officially mortified.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." He'd only just realized the position he – they were in. Could he possibly get any closer to his Second? He was pressed up to her as if they were lovers – what the hell was he thinking! He went to pull back when he realized -!

Oh shit! Talk about mortifying. He pulled back as carefully as he could and tried to think of something – anything that would get his mind off the fact that he'd been cuddling his Major and had a huge har –

"Hey guys, you awake? Whoa sorry, I didn't mean to make you both jump like that! Did I scare you?" Daniel looked in surprise at the strange looks on his friends' faces. Jack looked – uncomfortable and Sam was bright red. What had he walked in on, he wondered? He covered his mouth with his hand, trying not to laugh. He felt like the Dad who'd just walked in on his teenage daughter and her boyfriend.

"No, it's okay Daniel. We just woke up."

Daniel choked, trying to turn his laugh into a cough. Jack's voice was about two octaves higher than normal. What the hell had gone on in here?

"I thought you guys might be hungry so I came to see if you wanted anything to eat?"

"Yeah, yeah, that'd be good." Jack hadn't moved and neither had Sam. They both looked like they were frozen to the bed.

Daniel knew it was mean, knew he should just turn around and leave, but it was so rare that he caught his friends looking so out of control of a situation that he couldn't help but stay and enjoy it a little.

"So", he said, "you guys gonna stay there all day? Sam, why don't you come -" He stopped when she choked. He looked at her and if anything she was redder than she had been a minute ago. He glanced at Jack and saw that the Colonel had his eyes closed. Daniel could swear the man was reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Okay – this was weird.

"Uh, okay. I guess I'll leave you - "

"No Daniel, I'll uh - _accompany_ you. I need to find the little girl's room anyway." She moved her legs until they were hanging over the side of the bed and then jumped down. Straightening her clothes she smiled a wobbly smile and headed for the door.

"Uh Sam – there's no 'little girl's room' – there are chamber pots or – well no, I guess you can't pee into the ocean."

"No Daniel – I'm afraid not!"

"Okay, I'll show you where you can go. Lydia found a little cubby hole."

As she walked out the door she turned slightly, although didn't look at O'Neill. "Thank you Sir", she said softly, and then left.

"Anytime Carter", he answered equally as softly.

"You okay Jack?"

"Yeah Daniel, just fine."

"I'll be back with some supper and if you need some help - "

"Yeah, that'd be good Danny, thanks."

After Daniel had left Jack lowered his arm and stared at the ceiling. He felt as if someone had just whacked him over the head with a two-by-four. What had just happened? He'd innocently insisted that Sam share the bed. She was hurt and the floor was cold. He hadn't meant anything by it. He just didn't want her to suffer anymore than she had already.

What _had_ happened was that he'd slept better than he had in months. No, that wasn't true – he'd slept better than he had in years!

He'd woken up warm and feeling safe and – happy – not a word he used very often. He'd been still half asleep and had allowed himself to just drift, enjoying the feeling of a soft, warm and very feminine body pressed up to him. He'd started to let his mind and then his imagination wander about the possibilities with that very same body. Without thought he'd called her name – causing her to practically hit the roof! It was only then he'd realized how out of hand he'd let himself get - and how aroused he'd become.

You've got to stop thinking this way Jack, he said to himself. It's just cause you've had a tough few months and you needed some gentleness and a loving touch. It wasn't anything more than that – just the need for a little human contact - that's all it was.

Yeah Jack, he said to himself, if you believe that you're ready to buy some swampland in Florida! God – was he ever in trouble.


	9. Necessitas

**Necessitas - Need**

_**More warm fuzzies! This may be the last update for a while (sorry). My family is coming and we're going away for a few days and then I'm off to DC for a conference. I hope you like.**_

Jack didn't see much of Carter over the next couple of days. She'd pop in and check on him but wouldn't stay and wouldn't look at him. He felt bad, worried that he'd offended or frightened her. He didn't say anything except just once when he asked Daniel where she was sleeping.

"She's with Lydia. They set up a private area for them to sleep." Daniel looked at Jack with a puzzled frown. "What happened anyway? She's all uptight and is definitely avoiding you."

"I don't know Daniel. I didn't do anything, or at least not that I know of." He rubbed his hand through his dirty hair. "I don't know what's wrong but keep an eye on her for me okay?"

"You know I will Jack – and not just for you – she's my friend too you know", he replied gently.

"I know Danny. It's just – hell, she's a member of my team and I've done a crap job of looking after you guys so far."

"Yeah, saving us from slavery just isn't enough. Come on Jack, give yourself a break."

"Mmmm." He closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. He was so tired – but he knew it was more emotional that physical. He didn't know how much more he could take.

Daniel looked at him with concern. When he'd seen Jack and Sam together he'd been pleased, thinking they'd help each other get through this. For some reason Sam had pulled back and now both of them were miserable.

He knew Jack wasn't sleeping – his nights disturbed with nightmares. He suspected Sam was having the same trouble. He just hoped that when they got to Germanicus' village things would get better.

There was a wagon and horses waiting for them when the boat finally docked the next day. Daniel and Arminius helped place Jack in the back of the wagon, much to his disgust. Sam and Lydia then climbed in. The men all mounted horses and the group headed out.

"Hey Daniel", Jack shouted. "I didn't know you knew how to ride a horse."

"Uh, I don't." The horse he was sitting on started to dance around and the next thing anyone knew Daniel was on the ground. Once it was determined he was okay everyone began to laugh.

"Hey" He stood up and rubbed his back end. "That's not funny!"

"Yes it is Daniel. Very funny!"

"I'd like to see you try it."

Jack's expression changed and he looked down. He was actually a good rider, having learned as a kid. Now he wondered if he'd ever be able to ride again.

"Maybe you should ride in the wagon", he said seriously.

"No! This animal will not defeat me." Getting up on the horse again the others watched as he tried to get it under control. Eventually he was able to point it in the right direction and they headed off.

"He's going to be in pain", Jack said casually. He was pleased when he saw Sam give a small smirk.

They traveled throughout the day and by the time they arrived at their camp for the night Jack had remembered what these wagons were like.

"You should teach them about shock absorbers Carter" he told her as they stopped for the night.

"I think that might change their history Sir", she replied seriously. Damn when would she look at him again?

"I think we've probably already done that. I did kind of help them with their battle."

"Yes, but from what I understand you used actual ancient tactics."

"From earth!"

"Okay, but this culture parallels it closely. It's not inconceivable that it would progress in much the same way."

"Ach Carter! Enough. I was just making casual conversation because my butt's sore!"

"I'm sorry Sir", she replied in a small voice.

"Oh for God's sake Carter, you don't need to apologize. I'm in a bad mood so just ignore me okay? No, wait – that's what you've been doing for days!" He glared at her. He really was in a bad mood.

At his words she looked up at him in shock. Her wounded looking eyes tore a hole through his heart. God, she looked awful. What had he done?

"Geez, I'm sorry Carter. Please, don't pay any attention to me okay? You know what I'm like when I'm stuck on my ass. I don't mean to take it out on you."

"I know Sir, and I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to ignore you – I'm just – I –

"I know. We're all feelin kinda crappy. Let's just get some sleep and things will look better in the morning."

Lydia and Crispus had stood watching the entire exchange with wide eyes. They couldn't understand the words that were spoken but could see the intense emotion on the faces of these two.

It was later that evening, as everyone was getting settled for the night, that Lydia went up to Daniel.

"Oneo – and Samanta – are they all right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, they're fine. I think they're both a little tired is all."

"Oh." She looked over to where her friend was washing her face. "I worried that maybe they were angry at each other. Samanta has been ignoring him but doesn't seem happy."

"Yeah, I don't know what that's all about. Don't worry though, they're good friends – everything will be fine. 

"Friends? No, they are not friends", she said confidently. "They are lovers."

"Lovers! No, I'm sorry Lydia, they're not –"

"No, I do not mean physically. I mean they love one another. It is obvious they have not admitted that to each other, or even to themselves. That is why the sadness comes."

Daniel looked at her in astonishment. Damn, but she was right. He looked over to where Jack was lying,looking up at the stars, a dark expression on his face. He then glanced at Sam who was clearly unhappy. God – no wonder they were snapping at everyone.

He walked over to Jack and offered to help him get ready for bed. The Colonel just grunted and allowed Daniel to help him. Jack's lack of complaining actually had Daniel worried. For the last few days he'd simply accepted help with little or no comment and Daniel worried that his friend was beginning to lose hope and simply accept that he was going to be like this permanently. They needed to get to their destination quickly and get Jack moving.

They traveled another four days before finally making it onto Germanicus' lands. As they approached the house they could see riders come to meet them. Jack sat up and looked carefully and then smiled, the first smile Daniel had seen in days.

"Atta, you old goat!" he shouted. "Fancy duds!" Atta was no longer wearing the rags he'd had on before or the loincloth he's worn for so long. He looked clean and was starting to fill out. What was even better was that his legs were much better, which became obvious when he jumped from his horse.

"Oneo! Lazing around again I see. I hope you don't think we're going to wait on you like that here!"

"Why not? It's what I deserve after all. I'm a hero you know."

"Ha! You deserve a good swift kick in the posterior Oneo." The other man jumped into the back of the wagon and grasped Jack's arm. He then leaned forward and hugged his friend. He kept up the joking but he was disturbed at how bad Oneo still looked. He'd expected him to be better.

"And who are these people you've brought with you?" He turned to the two women. "Aha! Lovely ladies. I welcome you to Gallus!"

"This is Lydia", Jack gestured to the younger woman.

"Lydia", Atta bent and kissed her hand. "You are welcome here." He then turned towards Sam.

"And this is Carter – Samantha Carter – my teammate."

"Ah, so you are the lovely 'Cahta'. But you are even more beautiful that Oneo told me – although he was correct about your eyes. They are indeed the color of the sky. Oneo told me how special you are to him so I am doubly pleased he was able to help you escape."

Atta looked around after a couple of minutes, surprised at the awkward silence. He looked carefully at Cahta and saw that she was blushing. He realized he'd embarrassed her with his comments. It was Oneo's face that really surprised him however. He was every bit as red as the woman. Something was going on here! Oh well, now was not the time to worry about it.

By this time Germanicus had arrived and everyone was welcomed. He then led everyone as they proceeded to the house. It took a while for all the newcomers to be unloaded and shown their rooms. It was as Jack was waiting for help that he saw a youngish looking woman walk out of the house. She was carrying a baby and had a young toddler by the hand. He saw Atta walk up to her and put an arm around her and grin. Jack couldn't help but smile as well. Atta had clearly been reunited with his wife.

"Hey Atta", he called. "Aren't you going to introduce me?" Atta bent over and said something to the woman and then brought her over to the wagon.

"No Oneo – I do not think I should. You are too much the charmer. I do not want you to steal my wife!"

"As if I could!" He turned to the young woman who gave her husband a knowing look. She then turned to Jack and gave a slight curtsy.

"I am pleased to meet you Oneo", she said in a kind voice. "My husband has spoken much about you and we are honored that you are here."

"The honor is mine, Alarice", he answered. "Atta spoke about you as well – all the time," he whispered to his friend who simply grinned. "And these are you children?"

Alarice walked up and introduced her first-born son. "This is Adalric. He is three."

"Hello Adalric", Jack waved at the little boy who hid behind his mother's skirts. "And who's this?" he gestured towards the baby who was chewing on the corner of her shawl.

"This is Oneo", she answered. Jack looked up at Atta in shock.

"Oneo? But he must have been born before you got back."

"Yes, but Alarice refused to name him until my return. She said that it was for his father to do. So, I named him after my good friend Oneo."

Touched, Jack answered gruffly. "I thought that was only if I won our bet?"

"We'll have to change the reward for the bet - but the challenge remains!"

"I don't think so Atta", he answered, looking down at his legs.

"Don't be ridiculous Oneo – you just need rest and exercise. I will get the good 'Cahta' to help me. She will give you incentive."

Jack went to stop his friend, to tell him not to bug Carter, but he'd already left. He called for some servants to help 'Oneo' and soon Jack found himself in a bedchamber on a soft bed. A few minutes later Daniel walked in.

"So, this is nice to finally be here. Everyone seems friendly."

"Yes, they are good folk."

"They certainly hold you in high esteem. I was chatting to Atta." He stopped and looked at his friend. For the first time he'd got a true picture of what Jack had been through. Atta still bore the scars – both physical and mental – as did Jack. The difference was that Atta was healing physically and he had his wife to help him through it. For Jack it would be more difficult.

"Well, don't believe everything he says. He exaggerates."

"Hmmm. Right. Oh, by the way – I have a surprise for you."

"What?" Jack looked at him enquiringly. "What is it?"

"You'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, they're bringing you some supper. Eat it up – you're going to need it." On those mysterious words he left.

Jack wasn't very hungry and just picked at his food. He kind of felt like he'd been abandoned. He figured everyone was eating together in the big hall they'd passed while he ate in solitary splendor.

"Okay! Ready to go?" Daniel burst into the room looking very pleased with himself.

"Go? Go where? I'm tired Daniel. I don't really want to go anywhere."

"Oooh. Grumpy are we?"

"I'm not a child for God's sake Daniel. Don't patronize me."

"I'm sorry Jack." He looked at his friend and realized he looked upset. What was this?

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine. Look – I was just enjoying the peace and quiet so maybe you could go?" he said, not trying to be polite.

"What about the surprise?"

"I'm not really in the mood. Don't you have something better to do? I'm sure the others will want to have you back – you're probably the life of the party."

"Party? What party?"

"I assume you all had supper and now they're probably missing you."

So that was it! Jack thought he'd been left by himself. Damn, he should have known better than to leave his friend. It was just that he'd had to arrange everything and it had taken awhile.

"Uh no. I haven't eaten yet. I was getting the surprise ready. The women ate in their room I think. Sam's resting and told me to tell you she'd be in later to see you. I think everyone was exhausted after that wagon ride. I know my butt's sore from that damned horse."

Now Jack just felt petty and ashamed. He had been acting like a child! "I'm sorry Daniel. I told you – I'm not in a good mood. Maybe you should leave the surprise until tomorrow?"

"Nope, sorry. It won't be any good then." Just then there was a knock on the door and Arminius was there with another man – a servant Jack guessed from his demeanor.

"Great. Let's go Jack." Daniel motioned the others forward and they pulled Jack up, ignoring his protests.

"Daniel, tell them to stop! What the hell is going on?"

"Just wait Jack. I promise, you're going to like this." As the two men half carried him down the hall he continued to glower.

"I'm going to get you for this I hope you realize that Dr. Jackson?"

"Jack, if you're not happy with this I promise you can exact any kind of revenge you want. If, however, you _are_ happy I expect an apology.

Jack went to make a sarcastic comment, when he was taken into a room. At first all he saw was a roaring fire. The next sight made him want to turn and kiss Daniel.

"A bath!"

"Yup – I told you you'd like it."

"Daniel, I humbly and abjectly apologize for anything and everything I have ever said and done to you. You have my eternal gratitude!"

Daniel grinned as the men carefully set him down on a bench. The servant began to help Jack out of his robe.

"Okay, okay", he swatted the man's hands away when he got to the loincloth. "I can handle the rest of it."

He glared at the men who all turned away and began to talk.

"Okay", he said in a soft voice. He hated having to rely on the others – but right now he would have given away every scrap of dignity for that tub of hot water.

As Daniel and Arminius lowered into the steaming and fragrant water it stung like the blazes. He could feel every cut and scrape on his body flare into life. He sighed – he'd never felt so wonderful.

"I'm afraid it may take more than one bath Jack. We may have to do this again tomorrow."

"Nope."

"No?" Daniel answered, surprised.

"I don't plan to get out." He leaned back and closed his eyes, luxuriating in the feel of the warm water.

"You'll turn into a prune."

"Yup."

"You'll probably dissolve."

"Yup."

"You'll freeze to death."

Sigh. "Okay – but I'm stayin' in for a loooong time."

"It'll probably take you a long time to get even part of that dirt off. Do you want a cloth and some soap?"

"Soap? You have soap? Why have you been keeping it from me? Give!" Jack opened his eyes and held out his hand. Daniel had to grin at the very pleased expression on his friend's face. He handed him a rough cloth and some of the soap they used (although not very often, as far as he could tell – bathing wasn't a huge part of these peoples' culture).

He sat and watched as Jack scrubbed himself down. The man whistled the entire time. When it came time to wash his legs he grimaced and was more careful.

"You want some help with your feet?" Daniel asked when he saw Jack having trouble leaning over that far. Jack stared at his feet, a pissed off look on his face. He finally turned to Daniel and scowled.

"Yeah – but if you tell anyone I'll shoot you!"

"You don't have a gun", he answered, taking the cloth from Jack.

"Fine, then I'll run a sword through you."

"All for washing your feet?"

"Hey, a man has to protect his dignity you know."

Daniel gently washed Jack's feet, being very careful with the swollen ankles and painful looking wounds which circled them.

"This from the manacles?" he asked carefully, not looking at Jack.

"Yeah. They kind of tugged when the boat was destroyed."

God – it was a wonder he didn't lose his feet, thought Daniel. He didn't say any more, knowing it would make Jack feel uncomfortable.

"Want me to shampoo your hair?"

"You deciding on a new career as an esthetician Daniel?"

"I was thinking more of a 'manservant Sir'", he said in a phony British accent. Jack just stared at him. "So?"

"Yeah, okay." Jack lay back, his eyes closed, as Daniel cleaned his filthy hair. He would never admit it, but it felt fantastic. He was half asleep when a jug of hot water was poured over his head, half of it getting in his face.

"HEY!" he sputtered. "You trying to drown me?"

"Sorry", Daniel grinned, sounding completely unrepentant. He immediately poured another jug over the Colonel's head. "There, that's better."

"Yeah, it is. First time it's stopped itching in forever. I just wish I could get rid of this damn beard!"

"Your wish is my command, Oneo", Daniel suddenly produced a strait razor (or the ancient equivalent of one). "I'm sorry I don't have any shave cream so you'll have to use soap. I did hone the blade however, so it's sharp."

"A mirror?" The Colonel lathered up his face and then took the razor.

"I'll hold it for you." Daniel lifted up a rather dilapidated mirror – whose surface was rather foggy – but it was better than nothing. It took a while to get rid of the thick facial hair but eventually Jack was thrilled to again feel a smooth – and only slightly nicked – face.

"God, that feels better. I was starting to feel like a mountain man."

"Yeah, you kind of looked like one too."

"Thank you Daniel", Jack turned to his friend and smiled. He felt almost human again! "I think it's time for me to get out. The water's getting kind of chilly."

"Oh, and I thought you wanted to stay in here forever?"

"Yeah, well, maybe not." He was actually feeling really tired now and was looking forward to crawling into bed – clean!

"I'll just call the others to help you get out."

After they'd helped Jack out of the bath and he'd dried himself off they took him back to the bedroom and laid him down. The two Alemanni left and Daniel sat on the side of the bed.

"How you feeling?"

"Wonderful. Clean. Like a real human being."

"Yeah, you look more like one too." In actual fact, Daniel couldn't decide whether Jack looked better or worse now that the grime and the beard were gone. He was so gaunt looking – although at the same time his arms and chest had filled out. He looked incredibly strong and incredibly weak at the same time!

"I'm gonna get Sam now", he said, standing up.

"Carter? Why?" Jack wasn't so sure he wanted to see her right now.

"She wants to take a look at your wounds now that you're clean and we have the supplies. She made me promise to get her when you were done."

"Okay – but not until I'm wearing clothes!" No way he was going to lie there naked, even under the blankets, with Carter in the room.

"Here", Daniel handed him a linen nightshirt. It wasn't his usual form of dress but it was better than nothing. He pulled it over his head and then down around his hips and thighs.

"All right. You can get her now."

Daniel left and walked next door to Sam's room. They'd all been put in the same wing until a decision was made as to where they should go.

"Sam", he knocked. When he heard a soft 'come in' he opened the door and walked in. Sam was sitting by the window, looking out into the still evening. "Daniel?"

"He's ready. He's tired but I think he's feeling better now that he's clean."

"Okay." She still didn't move.

"What is it Sam?" He moved over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She bent her neck and rested her head on it.

"I – I think I hurt him."

"Who? Jack?"

"Yes. I didn't mean to. I was just – embarrassed. But I think he thinks I'm mad at him. I'm not."

"I don't think he thinks you're mad. I think he's worried that _he_ hurt _you_". She turned swiftly to look at him.

"What? But why would he think that? He didn't do anything wrong."

"Hey, you know the Colonel. He's the first to take the blame for everything and anything. I know he feels guilty that he didn't rescue us sooner."

She snorted. "The idiot!

"You should tell him that."

"Oh yeah, right. I'll just walk in and tell my CO he's an idiot. Good career move Daniel."

"You know what I think Sam?" She turned and looked at him, her eyebrows raised in inquiry. "I think you should stop hiding behind your ranks. We've been gone for almost 6 months. Why don't you just try and talk to him as Sam. I think he'd like that."

"But that's the problem Daniel", she said so softly he could barely hear.

"What is?" he asked, confused.

"I want to talk to him as Sam. I want to _be_ with him as Sam. And I can't." She leaned forward and rested her head on his chest. "I can't Daniel."

He stood there, holding her tightly, until she sniffed and pulled away. "I'd better check on him now." She stood up, grabbed her things and walked to the door. Just before she walked out she turned. "Thank you Daniel."

"Any time Sam, any time."

"Colonel?" she asked softly. He appeared to be asleep. She walked over to the bed and stood looking at him. He was clean now, which she was sure made him feel immeasurably better. It also highlighted how ill and pale he looked. Well, that was going to change, she decided! No more sitting around and feeling sorry for herself. She was starting Operation Jack O'Neill. She was going to have him fattened up and on his feet as soon as she could. He was not going to know what hit him.

"Carter?" his thin voice rose from the bed.

"Yes Sir?"

"Whatcha doing?" He hadn't been sleeping and had known when she'd entered his room. He'd been surprised at how still and silent she'd been.

"Just thinking of your therapy Sir."

"Therapy?"

"Yes Sir. We're going to get you fixed up and on your feet. I was just thinking the best way of going about it."

"Hey, it's not your job Car-"

"Yes it is Sir. And I don't want to hear any arguments. In lieu of Janet I'm the medical officer in charge and I say we're going to get you up and moving – Sir."

He stared at her blankly for a minute and then began to grin. "Okay Major, if you say so. I just have to warn you – I'm a lousy patient."

She grinned back. "I know Sir – believe me, I know." She leaned over and grabbed the blankets and whipped them back. "I'm going to take a look at your legs again Colonel – and the rest of you."

"Promise?" She glanced up in surprise, not sure how to take his words. When she saw the impish grin just starting to break out on his face she decided to laugh.

"Absolutely Colonel!"

"And then will you snuggle with me again?" He still had a slight smile but she could see the seriousness in his eyes. She wasn't sure what this was about and just looked at him closely. It was when she saw the stress and pain he couldn't hide that she realized. He was feeling frightened and alone – every bit as much as she was. Oh, he tended to hide it better – behind jokes or bad temper – but he was having trouble dealing with everything. He desperately needed comfort right now – just like she did. He wasn't asking for anything more from her, at least not right now – he just needed someone there for him. God knows, she needed it too. Maybe it was okay – maybe they should comfort each other.

"You wouldn't rather have Daniel?" she asked a little breathlessly.

"No – he snores and steals the blankets."

"Oh – well you don't want your blankets stolen!"

"And he snores", he reminded her.

"Snoring – definitely bad."

"Yeah – I couldn't sleep. And I'm clean now!"

"Yes, that's true. You are definitely clean. Well then, to save you from Daniel's snoring and thieving – and because you are clean", she stopped and looked at him seriously. "I guess snuggling could be arranged", she continued softly.

They stayed looking at one another for a long time, their faces cleared of any outward expression and their bodies not moving – but something passed between them – something warm and safe. Finally Jack smiled and closed his eyes.

"Good Major. That's good."

As they lay curled up again that night Sam knew that she'd done the right thing. This was dangerous, very dangerous, but it was also good. She again felt safe – and knew that they both needed this. As he lay gently sleeping in her arms she was thankful she'd had the courage to say yes.


	10. Dolor

_**I'm so sorry for the LONG delay in posting. I had company and then went to DC for a conference. On my way back I broke my ankle and have been laid up unable to use the computer until now. Here's a short chapter and I'll try to post a couple more this week. I'm sorry it's not longer but I can't sit without my leg up for long (I need a laptop!). Feedback please!**_

"I had no idea Major!"

"No idea of what Sir?"

"That you were a closet sadist!"

Sam just grinned but continued to gently push Jack's leg. The muscles had stiffened over the weeks of inactivity and she knew she had to help him regain some flexibility and strength before he even attempted to try and walk.

"I'm just trying to help Sir. I'm not trying to hurt you."

"I know. But do you have to enjoy it so much?"

"I'm sorry", she replied, trying not to grin even more.

"No you're not."

"No, I'm not. Well, I'm sorry it hurts – but you know I'm only trying to help you Colonel."

He sighed. "I know Carter, I know. " He paused, looking down at his legs. "It just – it just helps you know - to complain I mean."

She stopped in surprise and looked at him but he was looking down, not meeting her eyes. She knew it was difficult for the Colonel to deal with any physical limitations and/or therapy. He'd probably had to put up with it too much in his career. What surprised her was not his complaining – that was normal for him – but what wasn't was his admitting to the reason behind the complaints.

She immediately continued with the stretching, knowing he'd be uncomfortable having said even that much. Part of her was incredibly touched that he'd open up with her like this. Another part felt sad that he thought that he had to hide his fear and pain behind complaints after so many years of working closely with her. She wished he could be more open and allow her to comfort him. But even as the thought entered her mind she discarded it. That just wasn't Jack O'Neill. It wasn't that he didn't allow her to comfort him – he just wasn't able to openly admit the need. You had to be good at 'reading between the lines' with him.

"There, I think that's enough for today." She reached down and pulled the blankets back over his legs. Although he would deny it if asked, she could tell that he was starting to feel some improvement. The swelling was almost gone in his ankles and the wounds had all scabbed over and were healing. The knee was also looking much better. She thought it probably needed surgery – but with support it would most likely be okay enough for him to walk on.

The Colonel took a deep breath and pulled himself up so that he was in a sitting position, leaning against the back of the bed. He was slightly pale and sweaty so she grabbed a cloth and, wetting it, started wiping his face. The fact that he let her continue also showed how much he'd come to trust and rely on her.

"Hungry Carter?" he asked as she finished with the cloth.

"A bit Sir. How about you?"

He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. "Yup! I could eat a horse."

"Don't let Atta hear you say that. He might think you mean it."

He laughed. " He'd kill me! He's pretty obsessed with horses isn't he? He used to talk all the time about his stallion."

"Really?" she asked casually. She continued to clean up after their 'therapy session', not wanting to appear too overly interested. Jack had said practically nothing about his time aboard the galley so any hint was something not to be treated lightly. She knew, however, that if she made a big deal of it he'd clam right up.

"Oh yeah! Some days I wanted to clobber him after listening to him go on and on about the great Saracen for hours at a time. I can tell you the complete blood line of that damned horse!"

"Well, I guess horses are important to these people. They're a sign of wealth and power – and for some men they can be a proof of their machismo. Kind of like cars – or trucks - are in our world."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Are you accusing me of trying to prove my manhood by driving a truck?"

She raised her eyebrows right back at him. "I wouldn't accuse you of that Sir", she said respectfully, although he didn't trust the gleam in her eye.

"I have that truck because I often cart equipment for the kids from the youth center – you know, sports equipment and stuff."

"Oh yes, I'm sure you do. I know that if it wasn't for that you'd have a – a Toyota or Smart car or something."

He cracked a laugh at that. "Oh yeah. Can you picture me trying to unfold myself from one of those? Almost as bad as the time I had to have you give me a ride in your car."

"No, I'm afraid I can't quite picture it. I must admit that your truck suits you better."

"Shows off my 'machismo'?"

"If you say so Sir." With that she picked up the basin of water and walked towards the door. He narrowed his eyes at her – sure she'd just had the last laugh.

"Don't forget I'm starving Carter", he called after her as she left.

"I'll be back Colonel", she answered from the hall. He laid his head back and smiled. He knew that his conversations with Carter were every bit as much part of his therapy as were the exercises. He could tell that day-by-day he was getting stronger – not just physically – but emotionally as well. He could feel a lessening of the dark depression and fear he'd had for so long. Oh, it was still present – but for shorter periods of time – usually when Sam – or sometimes Daniel or Atta were with him – he felt almost back to normal.

He thought too that Sam was beginning to feel better. She'd started to fill out over the last few days and was looking more rested. He also caught her smiling more – usually when he was being incredibly grumpy! In actual fact, that was one of his main reasons for complaining. It was true that it helped when things got particularly difficult – but often he did it to help Carter. He knew that he was her mission – and having a 'project' with a specific goal was just what she needed to help her heal.

Surprisingly, Daniel hadn't said a word about their sleeping arrangement. The fact that it was totally innocent – just two people who'd been through extreme trauma needing some comfort – wasn't something they advertised and yet no one made a peep. At first, Sam had been embarrassed when Daniel had walked in on them one morning. However, even that had faded after a while and it was just considered normal. No one thought anything of it – at least as far as they knew.

Jack realized, however, that as innocent as it was now it wouldn't continue that way for much longer. He was finding it way too habit forming and knew the longer it went on the harder it would be to stop. He was also getting much stronger and with that it was more difficult to keep any feelings out of the equation – at least any inappropriate feelings. He'd woken up a few times with her plastered against him and had quickly had to suppress his reaction. He didn't want any repeat of that first night!

"Here you go Colonel." Sam entered carrying a tray with a steaming bowl of soup and some fresh bread. He could hear his stomach growl as he smelled the fragrant meal.

"You going to have some too Carter?"

"I'll have some later Sir."

"Here, share mine." He gave her a hunk of the warm bread. He took a bite of soup and then offered her a spoonful.

"Sir –" He stuck the spoon into her mouth, stopping her protest. Grinning, he then took another bite. After that he took turns feeding her and then himself. Somehow, he found the whole experience rather - endearing. There was something so domestic about this scene. He knew he could really grow to like it.

"So, you are still lying around on your butt I see Oneo?" Atta walked into the room, his loud and energetic presence disturbing the quiet domesticity of the last few minutes. Sam stood up and, smiling, excused herself.

"I'm going to go see what Daniel is up to Colonel."

"I'm sure he's looking either at books or rocks Major."

"Probably Sir." With a final smile at Atta she left the two men alone.

"You are a fortunate man Oneo", Atta said as he watched Sam leave. He then turned to the Colonel. He couldn't help but grin at the besotted look on Oneo's face as he watched the woman leave. Oh, he has it bad, he thought. I wonder if he even realizes it?

"Huh? Sorry Atta, what did you say?" Jack turned and looked at the man who had become like another brother to him.

"Just that you are fortunate to have someone like Samanta."

"Oh. Yeah, she's a good officer."

"Officer? Yes, I'm sure she is." Atta just looked at Oneo, not saying anymore.

"What?" Jack asked, uncomfortable at the look he was being given.

"Nothing. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Better – it won't be too long before I'm up and around. Once the damned swelling goes down I should be able to get off this bed."

"You are looking better indeed my friend. Just do not rush it – your body will let you know when you are ready to move. After that you and I have a date."

"Don't worry! I remember. I have to whup your butt. We still have to come up with another bet though."

"Hmmm. I will have to think about that one Oneo. In the meantime – I was wondering if you would like to get out of this room. It is a beautiful day outside and I thought you might like to enjoy the last of the fall weather. Soon it will be winter and it will be too cold to be out for long."

"How are you proposing I get out? I still can't walk and I don't particularly want to be carried."

"I will help as I'm sure will Daniel or Germanicus. You can put your arms around our shoulders. If you do not want to go I understand and will not press you – I just thought I'd ask."

"No, I want to go. It'd be great to get out of here. Not that this is bad – it's a great place and I appreciate all you and your brother have done for us."

"It is simply the way we treat our family – and that is what you have become Oneo."

So, with Daniel's help – and with Sam giving encouragement from the sidelines, Atta helped Oneo move outside.

As he lay back on the lounge chair and took in a breath of sweet air, Jack pondered on their future. For the first time he admitted openly to himself, that they could end up spending the rest of their days on this planet. What shocked him the most about that thought was how little it bothered him!

"So Jack, how are you doing?" Jack had snoozed for a couple of hours, enjoying the warm sunlight and fresh air.

"Fine Daniel." When his friend looked at him suspiciously Jack grinned. "Really Daniel. I feel pretty good. I'll feel better when I'm up moving around but I am getting better."

Daniel returned the smile and sat down on the small stone seat beside Jack. "Yeah, you're definitely looking better. With Sam helping you I'm sure you'll be up and around in no time."

The two men sat quietly for a few minutes, each thinking about Sam. Finally, Daniel looked up, a serious expression on his face.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?" Jack raised his eyebrows. He could tell something was bothering Daniel.

"What's going on with you two?"

Damn! He'd so hoped Daniel wouldn't say anything. He'd been surprised at the lack of comments prior to this – but at the same time relieved. Obviously the fact that he was doing better meant that reprieve was up.

"What do you mean?" See if I can stall him for a minute, thought Jack.

"Jack! You know what I mean. We've been here for two weeks and you've been sleeping with Sam every night. I'm just wondering what's going on. I care about you both, you know and I don't want to see either of you get hurt."

"No one is going to get hurt Daniel." Jack leaned back and closed his eyes.

"How can you say that? Are you two together?"

"Together?"

"Yes – as in 'a couple'?"

"No, of course not. We can't, you know that."

"Of _course not_? Jack, you're _sleeping_ together. That's not usually normal behavior for two people not involved with each other."

"Daniel, Sam's been through a rough time. She just needed some – comfort. She went through a lot of trauma."

"So, you're just helping her through this tough time?"

"Yeah."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You went through a bad time yourself. I thought maybe you needed some comfort too."

Jack didn't reply and kept his eyes shut. This was getting way too close to home for him.

"Jaaack?"

"What!"

"What about you?"

"Okay, so fine. Maybe I needed the comfort too. There, are you happy now."

"Not really. I get the fact that you needed each other after what you've both been through but I still think someone – probably both of you – are going to get hurt. Unless you think we're not getting off this planet and you plan to make a life together."

Jack sighed and opened his eyes. Turning to look at Daniel he spent a second getting his thoughts together. Finally, he spoke.

"Daniel, I don't know if we're going to get home or not. Some days I think we'd better just except that this is our life now and make the best of it. Then I remember that Teal'c and General Hammond – hell, even Siler and Walter – are still out there and I'm sure they will find us. As far as Sam – uh Carter – is concerned, the last thing I want to do is hurt her. I – I appreciate the warning." With that he leaned back and put his arm over his eyes, refusing to talk any more.

Daniel watched him for a moment and then stood up. "If you ever want to talk Jack –" Jack lowered his arm and raised his eyebrows at Daniel. "Okay, okay, I know it'll be a cold day in hell, yadda yadda yadda, - but remember I'm here for both of you okay? And Jack – watch out." With that Daniel returned to the house.

Jack spent the rest of the afternoon thinking about what Daniel had said and about what he knew to be true. He really wasn't sure whether or not they'd make it home but, until he'd lost all hope he knew he had to stop things from going any farther with Carter. If, and when, they decided that this was their new home well then he could proceed. For now, however, he knew what he had to do.

With that depressing thought he lay back and tried not to think of anything more.

"Ready to go in now Colonel?" Sam walked up and sat down beside him. She looked so pretty, he thought. Even with the scarf still wrapped around her head she looked fresh and young and innocent. While he knew consciously that she had seen too much in this universe to be truly innocent any longer, there was still an air of goodness about her that had never been touched. As for her youth – well, she was no longer the young, fresh faced officer she'd been when he'd first met her. Now, however, she had written in her face the maturity and wisdom of a woman who had seen and experienced many wonders – he found that way more beautiful than the blank slate of youth.

"Uh, in a minute Carter." She looked at him in surprise, unsure of his tone of voice.

"What is it Sir?"

"I just wanted to talk to you for a minute." He stared at her briefly, already feeling the pang of hurt that was to come. "I was thinking …" She smiled slightly. "I do think occasionally you know Carter!"

"I know Sir – you think a lot. I just don't hear you say it that much. It's usually my line."

He smiled back at her but the expression quickly faded. "Look, I've been thinking about our – uh – sleeping arrangements. I think we'd better stop." He glanced up at her quickly and then down. In that brief look he could see the hurt already forming. Damn! Daniel was right, as usual.

"I know Sir", she answered softly. "It's just – it's been - "

"I know Major. It's been – nice" (great O'Neill – couldn't you think of a better word to describe what had been freaking wonderful!). "I mean, it's been more than nice. It's been - " He stopped, unsure how to proceed. "I just think we're both okay enough now not to need it anymore and I'm afraid if we continue …."

"I know Colonel. I understand…. And thank you." She stood up and turned towards the house. "I'll get Atta and Daniel to help you back in." She quickly started to walk back.

"Sam!" She stopped but didn't turn around.

"Yes Colonel?"

"This doesn't mean the therapy has to stop?"

"No, of course not Sir." She looked almost as if she was going to say something else but then her shoulders dropped. Again, without turning she spoke, "I'll send Atta."

He nodded, unable to answer. After she'd gone he could feel the black depression beginning to return. For the first time in days he dreaded the night ahead. God damn you Daniel! Why did you have to say anything? As he lay there he slowly calmed down, knowing it wasn't Daniel's fault. In fact, the man had done the right thing. The way they were headed they could have done something from which neither would have recovered.

"Damn it all to hell!", he muttered. "You must really have it in for me!" he spoke to the heavens. A fleeting thought crossed his mind – he really wouldn't mind if Teal'c didn't find them!

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sam was quite proud of herself. She'd managed to tell Atta that Jack was ready to come inside in a calm and steady voice. He hadn't seemed to notice that her heart felt like it had been ripped to shreds. Of course, if it had been Daniel it would have been a totally different thing. He would have instantly realized something was wrong.

She quickly made her way into the Colonel's room and collected the few things which she'd left there and then made her way back to her room. She flopped down on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

She wasn't angry – she knew that what Jack had said was right. In fact, she'd been thinking much the same thing for the last few days. The fact that she realized he made the right decision didn't make it any less painful and it didn't hurt any less. Unconsciously echoing the Colonel she swore. "Damn!" Why did life have to be so bloody complicated?

Over the next couple of weeks she kept working with the Colonel and he improved steadily day by day. He continued to complain – and she continued to smile – but the warmth and easy camaraderie of those first couple of weeks was gone. The joking and teasing was forced, as if they were both trying to maintain the façade that nothing had changed while in reality everything had.

Daniel, of course, picked up on it right away and tried to grill her about it. She'd actually snapped at him, telling him to mind his own business. It was so unlike her that he'd immediately gotten quiet and then left. She would have apologized but knew that would simply open things up again so she stayed quiet. What she didn't know was that he'd immediately gone in to see Jack.

"So, you did it."

"Did what Daniel?" Jack asked. He was sitting in a chair and was slowly rotating his ankles. He was determined to be up and walking in the next couple of days.

"You hurt her."

Jack looked up at that and frowned. "What?" he asked, confused.

"Sam. You hurt her."

"Daniel, you don't know what the hell you're talking about. Just leave it alone – please."

"I can't Jack. I warned you and now look – she practically bit my head off and that's not like Sam. She's hurting!"

"And why are you blaming me?"

"Because its your fault. You're her CO. You're the one who initiated it. You're the one who invited her into your bed. You should have known better Jack!" Daniel was pacing around, angry and upset.

Jack stared at his friend, hurt and bewildered. Didn't Daniel know that he'd done what he had to protect Sam, not to hurt her? And didn't he know that he was suffering every bit as much? Of course, the younger man _was_ right. He should have known better. He had to take responsibility – he was the superior officer. God, what had he done?

Suddenly, as Daniel paced, continuing to mutter something, Jack looked inward, not liking what he saw. Why was it that he always destroyed the things he loved? He should have known better by now. He'd just needed some comfort and tenderness – and wanted to give some in return – but he should have known that God, or life or the universe didn't want that for him. He should have simply sucked it up like usual rather than try and reach out. All he'd ended up doing was hurting Sam – and himself.

Daniel had continued to talk but Jack hadn't heard a word his friend had said. Instead, he'd slowly descended to the space he'd been in on the galley. Maybe he should have let go then, he thought. Maybe everyone would be better off if he hadn't returned. Sam certainly would be.

With a grunt he suddenly grabbed the arms of his chair and pulled himself to his feet. He was damned if he was going to waste any more of people's time baby-sitting him. It was time he got off his ass and got moving.

"Jack! What are you doing?" Daniel rushed over and grabbed him as his legs gave out, unable to hold himself up. After a few deep breaths he steadied and pushed Daniel's hands away.

"I can do it! Just leave me alone Daniel." Holding on to the back of the chair, and leaning most of his weight into it, he tried to pull his legs forward. He only made it a few inches before the muscles gave out again. This time he landed in a heap on the floor.

"What the hell are you doing Jack? You're not ready for this. You could have hurt yourself."

Jack laughed ironically at that. Daniel was overly concerned about him hurting people today.

"I'm fine Daniel. I need to move sometime."

"But why didn't you wait for Sam? She's the one that's been helping you." Daniel reached down and helped him onto the bed. "She'd be hurt if you started to walk when she wasn't around."

"Hey, according to you I've already hurt her unbearably. What's one more thing?" Jack rolled over so his back was facing Daniel. He didn't want to talk or listen or think anymore. "Daniel, I'm tired and I'd like to sleep so can you - ?"

"Ah – yeah, okay." Daniel was staring down at his friend. What had just happened? He turned and walked slowly to the door. It took him all of four steps when he'd realized. God, what an idiot you are Jackson! He'd just gotten angry and accused his best friend of hurting Sam when instead he should have been there supporting him. Jack was hurting too and, if Daniel knew his friend at all, he figured he had just added a whole truckload of guilt right on top.

"Jack -"

"Not now Daniel", the Colonel answered in a soft, weary voice. "Please, not now."

Daniel watched him for a few more seconds and then nodded silently. Okay Jack, he thought to himself, I'll give you now – but you're not doing this to yourself! As he left the room he continued to curse his own meddling. Jack had done the right and honorable thing and he'd blasted him for it. Idiot!

"Daniel! Oneo!" a sharp voice was calling down the corridor. Suddenly, Germanicus appeared, sweaty and frantic looking.

"What is it Germanicus?" Daniel stopped and asked the older man.

"Wait. We must tell Oneo – and Atta is coming." Just then his younger brother appeared and the three men made their way quickly into the Colonel's room

"Oneo!" Germanicus walked over and shook the man in the bed.

"Hey!" Jack muttered and rolled onto his back. Seeing the faces above him he quickly pushed himself to a seated position. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"It is the Adrano!" Germanicus answered. "They have amassed a huge army and are planning to march on us. They have vowed to enslave or kill all Alemanni in revenge for the battle they lost. They will be here as soon as the snow melts!"

Jack and Daniel looked at each other. Closing his eyes Jack sighed. They had stepped from one war right into another. God help them all.


	11. Domus Quod Familia

**_Domus Quod Familia - Home and Family_**

**_Thank you to all my lovely reviewers - and thank you for your kind words on my ankle. I'll try to get back to everyone but am having to type in short spurts since I can't sit for long - I do love hearing from you! This chapter is pretty much angst and romance but the adventure is coming - and don't worry - I haven't forgotten poor Teal'c._**

"Jack, I just wanted to say - "

"Not now Daniel", Jack interrupted. He was determined that today was the day he would start to walk and he didn't want anything to distract him. He knew what Daniel wanted to talk about and he so didn't want to go there. He couldn't deal with it right now.

"But Ja -"

"Nope, _not now_! Go get Carter and then you can help me."

"What? Why? Help with what and why do you want Sam?" Daniel looked suspiciously at the older man. He knew Jack was avoiding the discussion and wondered what he was up to.

"I want to stand up Daniel and you said it yourself – it wouldn't be right to not have Carter here when I do. She was the one who's made this possible."

"Oh. Okay." He turned and walked to the door. "I still have something to say."

Jack waved him off. "Just get Carter." After Daniel was gone he took a deep breath. He'd avoided that one but knew Daniel would come back to it. To use one of the clichés he hated so much the archaeologist was like a dog with a bone – and unfortunately, he was the bone.

He heard the voices of his teammates and friends as they approached his room and sat up straight. He cleared his face of any emotion and put on his Colonel O'Neill mask. This was something he was used to – pretending everything was fine.

"Hey guys! Ready to help the Colonel get back on his feet?" he grinned over to Carter who grinned back. Neither of them smiled with their eyes.

"Yes Sir! Should we get Atta to help?"

"Nope. I'd rather have you Major – I mean to help me stand." Damn, watch what you say Jack! "Come on – give the old man a hand." He scooted forward to the edge of the bed and held his arms out.

"Sorry Sir." Sam didn't move.

"What?" he asked, puzzled.

"I don't see an 'old man' here – just you Colonel."

He couldn't help it – he smiled at her. "Okay then, help _me_ stand."

"Certainly Sir." With a nod she and Daniel moved toward him and helped him to his feet.

Over the next few days Jack grew stronger and stronger. Pretty soon he could walk from his bed to the window all by himself. He promised himself that by the end of the week he'd be able to walk his entire bedroom – and then it was outside!

He could feel his legs and back growing stronger each day and was relieved. Of course, he didn't tell anyone about the fact that his knee felt like crap. It was weak and extremely painful. He figured he probably shouldn't actually walk on it but he'd be damned if he'd stay down anymore.

It was Sam who finally realized that it was bothering him. "Sir, sit down!" she ordered.

"What?" he looked at her in surprise. Her voice reminded him of well – him – when in command mode. He didn't often hear it addressed to him.

"Sit down …. Sir! Your knee, it's bad right?"

"It's fi - "

"No it's not. Just sit or I'll get Atta and Daniel _and _Germanicus in here and have them sit on you."

"Hey Major, you're being a bit bossy. I am your CO you know."

"Right now you're my patient Sir so get your butt on the bed."

He turned and glared at Daniel, sure he'd heard a 'snort' from the archaeologist. Daniel returned his look innocently. He narrowed his eyes. He didn't trust the man. Daniel could be veeeery sneaky.

"Insubordination!" He looked at Sam who had her arms crossed and was tapping her foot. "Fine, I'll sit. But I'll get you Jackson!"

"_**Me?**_ I didn't do anything."

"You were thinking it though. I know you."

Sam was truly grinning by this time. She so loved these guys. "Come on Sir, put your leg up. I'm going to bind that knee and it'll be easier to walk." She walked over to the side table where there were bands of cloth laid out. She wished she had a tensor bandage but would have to make do with what she had.

She slowly wrapped his knee, ignoring his complaints. Once she was finished she stepped back. "Okay, that should be better." Of course it was, realized Jack, but he wasn't going to say anything. He didn't want to destroy his image. He looked suspiciously at Sam and Daniel, sure they were both sharing 'I told you so' looks – but he wasn't able to catch them at it.

Between his forays into mobility, Jack spent the rest of the time conferring with his team and with Atta and Germanicus about the possible attack by the Adrano. Everyone was worried, knowing this could mean the destruction of the Alemanni.

"Do you think it's true?" Jack asked. "Are they really planning to attack?"

"Probably", Germanicus answered. "There's been talk of it for a long time but there was still a lot of opposition by many among the Adrano. With the increasing number of victories by the Alemanni I expect the pressure has grown."

"You said they were amassing an army", asked Daniel. "How big are we talking?"

"I'm not sure although I've heard rumors that it could be as many as three or four legions."

"So, we're talking fifteen to twenty thousand men?" asked Jack

"About that many, yes."

Daniel whistled. "That's huge. How many Alemanni are there?"

"That's even harder to say. The Alemanni aren't like the Adrano – we're not one people. There are numerous tribes spread throughout the eastern region. Many of us have joined together to fight but there are many still who only fight the Adrano when they move into their territory. There is still infighting amongst the tribes."

"Still – you must have some idea of how many you can muster." Jack spoke sharply, his military persona at the forefront.

"Well, we know we could probably raise five or six thousand fighting men right now. If we sent messages to some of the outlying tribes we might increase that to eight or ten at the most. It's still far short of what the Adrano have."

"True." Jack stopped and looked deep in thought. "Still, they'd be coming into your territory which gives you some advantage." He looked up at Germanicus. "You say they are planning to come when the snow melts? When will that be?" Winter had arrived a couple of weeks previously, after a mild autumn. Now snow covered the ground and it was bitterly cold.

"Usually the spring thaw comes after the month of Februarius."

"So that's what, about 3 months from now?"

"Yes. Sometimes it comes earlier, sometimes later, but that is about right."

"So, we have that long to get ready." Jack replied.

"But get ready how? It is winter and not much can happen."

"It'll have to if you want to beat the Adrano. Unfortunately you can't wait until spring. It'll be too late by then. You need to send out messengers and get the tribes to send men to fight. You need to be ready by the time the Adrano get here."

Atta and Germanicus still looked worried, although Sam thought they looked better now that they had Jack helping them. Looking over at her CO she thought that he, in fact, looked worse. She could see the worry lines on his forehead.

It was after the two brothers had left that Sam turned to O'Neill. "What is it Sir?" she asked. She knew something was bothering him.

"Hmmm", he replied distractedly.

"You look worried Colonel. Do you think they have a chance against the Adrano?"

"Who? Germanicus and the Alemanni?" She nodded. "Yes, they have a chance." He paused, staring out the window. Eventually he turned and focused his eyes back on Carter. "I just don't know if we should be helping them."

"Why not?" she asked, surprised. Daniel looked at him with something approaching shock.

"You're telling me you don't want to help them Jack? Why ever not? They've helped us."

"I know Daniel, and I'm not saying I don't want to. It's just …. hell, you're the ones usually telling me not to jump in with guns blazing. I just don't know if it's right for us to come to this planet and interfere with their history. How do we know the Alemanni are any better than the Adrano? Sure, Atta and Germanicus are great and have become friends, but what about the rest of the Alemanni? If they're anything like their counterparts on ancient earth they're a pretty nasty bunch. I just don't know if we should be helping them. And hey, Carter, you haven't said anything about screwing with the time line."

"I know Sir, but we've already interfered. I don't see that this will make a difference now, especially since we won't be introducing any modern weapons or anything. We – or you I should say – can simply use your knowledge of ancient Roman wars to help them."

"This just feels – wrong some how."

"What should we do then Jack? We can't just sit around and not help. The Adrano would come and we'd either be dead or back to being slaves. I don't know about you but that's not something I want to have happen again." Daniel looked at his two friends as he said that and caught a quick glimpse of terror on both of their faces. The identical expressions were quickly erased but he knew he'd struck an open wound.

"Yeah, you're right I guess. We can help then, but we'll have to stick to ancient battle techniques and weapons, as much as I hate to say that. I really wish we had a few P-90's and some zats. We could really get those bastards!"

Sam and Daniel looked at their friend and commander in concern. At first he had been hesitant, which didn't seem like him – and then he appeared full of anger and ready to get the Adrano. They were confused as to what was happening.

They weren't the only ones. Jack too was confused. He was filled with a burning anger and hatred to the people who had harmed him – and his teammates. Some of his nightmares were filled with images of him making them suffer and this scared him. He didn't want to turn into a person who enjoyed killing or who acted out of personal revenge and that was what he was afraid was happening.

The other thing which bothered him was the fact that Germanicus and his people were counting on him – Jack O'Neill – to save them. The pressure was almost too much. He'd fought for his planet for years and knew that sometimes it was his team that had stood between earth and annihilation – but he really didn't want that responsibility for a whole other race of people. Especially not now, not when he was still feeling the effects of the last few months. He worried that he'd be the death of these people who had grown to be his friends.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"So, how many?"

"We have over 7000 Oneo and more are coming every day." Atta looked down at his friend as he watched the men preparing weapons and readying themselves for battle.

Jack was much better and could get around on his own but was still unable to stand for long periods of time. Over the last three weeks he had been helping with plans for the Alemanni defense and looked weary. Atta suspected he wasn't sleeping well. He had heard from some of the servants that Jack experienced nightmares most nights. He wished Samanta would return to his bed.

"Has the word been sent to everyone?"

"Not yet although messengers have gone out to all the regions. Most have responded positively although a few have refused to come. I believe the threat of the Adrano coming into our lands has frightened many."

"Yes, well I hope it's going to be enough. How are the weapons coming?" A factory had been set up, under Carter's direction, to design and build more efficient weapons. They had made sure to keep them low-tech although Carter was itching to develop a few more sophisticated ones although she knew she couldn't.

"They are coming fine. Samanta has been of great help although many of the men are still resentful." For the most part the Alemanni were pretty traditional and the men didn't like the idea of a woman taking the lead in something as 'manly' as weapons production.

"Ha! They should see her fight. She could beat any of the men."

Atta looked down at his friend again. Why do you not realize how much you desire and need Samanta, Oneo, he thought. You would both be much happier were you together. He had seen both of them become quieter and less happy this last little while. He had heard that they were no longer sharing a bed. He wanted to shake his friend but knew he had to stay out of it.

"Do you think we will be ready Oneo?" Atta returned to the subject of the battle looming ahead.

"I hope so. We have to keep working." O'Neill looked out at the frozen field in from of him. It was still cold and yet thousands of men were arriving to prepare for the fight ahead. They had brought as much as they could with them but provisions were short. Germanicus people were trying to cope as well as possible but it was a bleak winter ahead.

Everything looked grey, thought Jack. He felt like everything around him was bleak and dull and cold. It wasn't just what was around him – he himself felt the bleakness pressing into his soul. He unconsciously gave himself a shake and turned to look at his friend.

"Let's get Germanicus and my team. Now that the men are arriving we need to start planning. There's no time to waste."

That evening he had Daniel and Sam come to his room to discuss the roles they were going to take in the battle. He still felt unsure about their involvement although he was beginning to believe this was now their new home so maybe it was time stop worrying about it.

"So, I guess we need to help kick some Adrano butt!"

"Are you sure Jack? You didn't seem too sure before. Do you think we should get involved in local affairs?"

Jack took a deep breath and bent forward, his elbows on his knees. "Look guys – I think we need to start thinking of this as home. Maybe we need to accept that we're now part of this fight."

There was silence as Daniel and Sam looked at him blankly. Finally, Daniel frowned and went to speak but Sam interrupted.

"You don't think they're coming for us do you Sir?"

"I don't think so Carter. I think if they knew where we were they would have found us by now. It's been months and for all we know Teal'c didn't even make it back. Hammond would have no way of knowing where we are."

"I don't believe it." Daniel stood up and walked to the window. "They'll find us." He turned and faced O'Neill. "Maybe you don't want them to find us!"

"What!" Jack stood and faced the younger man. "Why the hell would you say that? Of course I want them to find us – I just think we need to start facing reality."

"I don't think this is about reality – I think this is about you and Sam."

"Daniel!" Sam exclaimed. "What are you saying?" It was her turn to stand and face her friend. The look of hurt in her eyes stopped him cold.

"I'm sorry Sam – Jack – I didn't mean that. I'm just – I just don't like the thought of not going home. I didn't mean that", he repeated. He glanced at Jack who looked like a statue. After a second Jack relaxed and nodded.

"Yeah, I know Danny. I don't want to think that way either but eventually we'll have to accept that we're here to stay." He grinned crookedly. "Hey, I'm not quite ready to give up on Teal'c – but I'm not going to dwell on getting home. Right now I think we need to concentrate on how we're going to help the Alemanni. If we lose this whole discussion will be meaningless anyway."

"Okay, so how are we going to do this?" Daniel smiled slowly, willing to drop the discussion about home and allowing his complete confidence in Jack to shine through.

"Yes Sir - how do we plan on beating them?"

"Well …" For the next hour they discussed tactics and ideas – pulling in everything they knew from earth's history, and from their own.

"So, is this going to work?" Daniel asked as they got ready to head to bed.

"I hope so Danny. If not it won't be for lack of trying."

Daniel wished them good night and left. As Sam was leaving to head to her room Jack grabbed her arm and held her back.

"What is it Colonel?" she asked, surprised.

"I – I just wanted to ask you something."

After a short silence Sam frowned. "What Sir?" she asked, puzzled by his awkwardness.

He didn't speak again and she was growing worried. He looked so serious.

"Sam", he took a deep breath. "The next couple of months are going to be about this war and – and I think we need to give Teal'c a bit more time." Again he stopped and she felt like she wanted to scream. "But – once it's over – I wanted to ask if – would you consider -"

"What Colonel? What are you trying to say?" She walked up to where he was standing.

"I just want to know if you think you might think of me as something other than 'Colonel O'Neill. You know – maybe we could – get to know each other as just Jack and Sam?" There, he'd said it. He couldn't look at her, unsure of how she would react.

This time it was she who didn't say anything. He finally had to look, frightened at how she'd react. Fortunately, and to his relief, she was smiling, although gently.

"That would be – nice Sir." She realized as soon as the words came out that they sounded tepid so she tried again. "Actually it's more than nice and anyway – I already _do _think of you as Jack – at least to myself, although I know it's wrong. But, when the war is over – then yes, I'd like to get to know you as Jack – never as _just_ Jack though. You're too special for that." She leaned forward and gently kissed his cheek and then walked to the door.

"Good night Colonel - Jack." With that she left, slowly closing the door behind her.

Grinning, he went to bed. That night he slept better then he had in a long time.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"The scouts have arrived. The Adrano are eight days out. Reports say they have at least 12,000 men, many of them on horses." Atta was speaking quickly, obviously nervous now that the day was coming quickly.

"We'll be ready Atta, don't worry." Jack stood up and limped over to the window. He looked out on the slushy terrain surrounding the buildings. The thaw had set in the previous week although it still froze at night. Unconsciously rubbing his knee, he knew it was time for the Alemanni to prepare for the battle.

"Tell Germanicus it is time. He must tell his officers to move out at first light. The women and children must also leave and get to the hills. They should have time to hide before the Adrano army gets here."

"Some of them are refusing to leave their homes."

"If they refuse then tie them up and carry them. The Adrano will show no mercy and a protecting a house isn't worth being killed or enslaved. Sam and Daniel will lead the women to safety and watch over them."

"They aren't too happy about that. They want to take part in the battle."

"I know, but neither of them have any experience in ancie – ur your style of warfare. Sam is a fantastic soldier but isn't strong enough for the hand-to-hand combat of your soldiers and Daniel, while strong enough, doesn't have the skills. They'll be better off protecting the women."

"What about you Oneo? You can still barely walk on that leg." It was true. His knee had not healed like the rest of him and he had trouble standing or walking. He needed a cane but refused to use one even though Sam and Daniel gave him hell.

"No, but I can ride a horse." That also was true. Although he hadn't ridden much in the past few years he had been a good rider at one time. Over the last few weeks he'd been practicing again, this time wearing armor and using Alemanni weapons. He wasn't as good as some of the soldiers but he was halfway competent.

"Samanta will not be pleased."

"No, but she'll accept my decision. She'll follow orders."

But she didn't accept his decision. In fact, she gave him hell for it.

"No way Sir! You can't take part in the battle. Your knee is still bad." When he went to interrupt she continued. "I know, you're going to ride. But you still need the knee to truly control the horse, and what if you fall off?"

"If I fall off it'll probably be because I'm dead Carter!" He felt terrible for saying that as soon as he saw her expression. "I'm sorry", he said softly. "that was a stupid thing to say. Look, I'll be careful but you know as well as I that I have to be there. I'm the one who's the best qualified to lead this thing. I can't go off with the women and children – you know that."

"Yes, I do", she sighed. "But why are you sending Daniel and me with them. We're both good soldiers and we should be with you."

"No Carter. Look, I know you're a great soldier. In fact, you're one of the best I've ever served with. But this is a different kind of war, one you're not used to fighting. This requires brute strength and stamina and I'm sorry, you just don't have enough of either. Besides which, I don't think the Alemanni would allow you to fight. You know what they thought of you simply helping with the weapons. It would cause problems."

She looked angry and part of him sympathized with her but a huge piece of him was glad. Not the solder in him – no, that part really wanted her at his side – but the man, well, that part was glad she'd be out of harm's way.

"Carter, you know how important it is to get the women and children to safety. There may even be fighting and I'm counting on you and Daniel to keep them safe. Please."

"All right Colonel – but I would like to officially protest this order."

"Okay", he grinned. "I'll note that in my report." He watched for a few minutes as she tried to come to terms with his decision. When he saw that she'd calmed down he spoke again. "If we get through this – I actually plan to dispense with any reports Carter – so you can just tell me to go to hell cause I won't be your CO any more."

"No?" she looked at him quizzically. "Why not?"

"Because I'll be 'just Jack', remember."

"No Sir – don't you remember?" She reached up and gently touched his cheek. "You'll never be _just_ Jack – but I will enjoy getting to know 'Jack' – and telling him where to go when he makes stupid decisions … Sir!"

"Hey Jack!" Daniel's voice interrupted the brief interlude and O'Neill turned quickly to his friend.

"What is it Daniel?"

"I just heard a stupid rumor."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Atta told me you were planning on having me be a babysitter. I told him that was ridiculous and that I'd be joining you. Crazy huh?"

Sam beat a hasty retreat. "Coward!" Jack called after her and then turned to the younger man. "Uh Daniel, I'm afraid it's not a rumor. I need you to go with Sam and escort the women and children to safety. They have to get out of the way of the advancing armies."

"What! No way Jack. Sam can handle that just fine. I'm going with you."

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'? I'm going to help the Alemanni. I'm perfectly capable. I'm not a baby."

"I never said you were. I know you're competent – you've proved that many times over." He held up his hand as Daniel went to interrupt. "Look, I'd trust you with my life Jackson. In fact, I have, many times. But this is different. This is a completely different type of warfare than you're used to and you _don't_ have the training for this."

"And you do?"

"Well, at least I understand it and yes, I've studied some of the techniques that will be used but – it's more than that." He stopped, not wanting to continue.

"What? You don't think I'm strong enough? I hate to say this _Colonel_ but right now I'm in better shape than you are. You can barely walk!"

"I know that Daniel but that's not the point."

"Then what is the point?"

"This battle – Daniel, it'll be bloody and awful and I don't want you to have to deal with that. I know you're competent but you're not a soldier. You're a scientist, an archaeologist and you don't need the memories that you'll end up with after this one."

"And you do?" Daniel asked softly. "Jack, you haven't had to deal with this either."

"I have no choice and I can handle it."

"Can you? I don't know about that. I think you've had enough to deal with. I think you should be the one to go with Sam. Or at least you need to stay back and consult and command. You're more valuable doing that then fighting. If you get killed then we're all up the creek."

Jack was silent, knowing that what Daniel said was true but not liking it. He didn't feel right about sending people into a battle he was not taking part in himself.

"I have to go Daniel and you'll be with Sam. That's an order."

"Really? And what if I disobey that order? What will you do? We're not on earth anymore and you said yourself you don't think we're going to be rescued. That means you're not my commanding officer anymore."

"Does it? I'll just talk to Germanicus and see what he says. I may not have the authority of the US Air Force anymore, but I certainly have the authority from the Alemannis."

"And you'd use that?" Daniel asked incredulously.

"Yup! Damn right I would."

"What is this really about? You know I can handle myself. I've been practicing with the men for months. I'm a pretty good rider now and have learned to use the weapons. I know it will be bloody but that's our life here. So, tell me the truth. Why don't you want me to go?"

"Because I can't lose you Danny." Jack answered softly. "I can't lose you or Sam, okay?"

"But Jack, we've been fighting together for years. You could have lost us at any time. In fact, you _have_ lost us on more than one occasion."

"Yes, but you always came back. I don't think you will on this planet and …" he stopped talking, embarrassed. The truth was, he couldn't survive alone on this planet without Daniel or Sam and knew there was a good chance either or both of them could fall. "That's enough Daniel. Just do as I ask, okay?"

Daniel realized that this was important to his friend so he simply stopped arguing. He'd discuss this more with Sam but for now he let it go. He was determined to accompany the men into battle, as much as he hated the thought. He smiled to himself when he realized that his reason for going was the same as Jack's was for excluding him. There was no way he wanted to stay on this planet without his friend.

So far Jack had shown a remarkable talent for getting himself hurt and in trouble on this planet, and Daniel wanted to be sure to be there to help him.

Early the next morning Sam led the group of women and children as they headed away from the route the Adrano were taking and towards the hills to the south. There were a series of hunting lodges that they'd use while they waited for the results of the battle. There was much crying and hugging going on as soldiers said farewell to their wives and children. Many of them knew they would never see each other again.

Sam looked around, trying to find the Colonel in the crowd. Finally, just as they were ready to leave she saw him limp over towards her.

"So Carter", he said as he walked up to her. "You take care of yourself and everyone."

"I will Sir."

"Germanicus estimates it'll be a week before the battle begins so it'll probably be a couple of days after that before we can come or send messengers. Just stay down and keep everything under control."

"I will. You look after yourself Colonel. Don't go getting yourself hurt again, okay?"

"Don't worry Major. I'll watch out. I have plans you know!" He smiled at her. After a couple of minutes she turned and headed towards the wagon she was sharing with Atta and Germanicus' wives and families. Just as she went to step up she heard his voice.

"Sam." She heard Jack walk up to her. His hands gently took her arms and turned her around. "Take care of yourself, please."

"You too Jack." She reached up and cupped his cheek with her hand. He leaned into it and,

"Oh hell!" he grabbed her and pulled her to him. He then kissed her passionately. It was when he heard someone clearing his throat that he finally broke the kiss. It took him a second to regain his equilibrium and get his breathing under control but he eventually stepped back from a very dazed Sam Carter.

"Sorry", he muttered but she shook her head.

"I'm not – Jack." She then swung herself up into the wagon, not saying anymore. No one else seemed to be looking at them as the wagon slowly pulled away. He waited and watched, slowly raising his arm to wave. Sam returned the gesture and watched him until one of the children grabbed her arm, wanting her attention. With a final look she smiled and then bent her head to speak to the young girl.

"We're ready Jack." Daniel's soft voice interrupted him and he turned.

"Okay." He strode (or limped actually) over to the horse given to him by Germanicus. It was an ugly, but extremely powerful stallion that he named 'Kawalski'. When Daniel had teased him about the choice for a name he'd turned to his friend.

"Kawalski saved my butt more times than I can remember. He was a true and loyal friend Daniel. And anyway", he grinned, "he'd love the fact that I named a horse after him!"

Once Jack had mounted his horse Germanicus turned and motioned for his army to head out. Daniel pulled up beside his friend and CO and they rode towards the mountains where they were to take their stand.

They must have traveled for almost an hour, Jack deep in thought, before he turned and looked at his friend. For a moment he stared blankly and then he pulled to an abrupt stop.

"What the hell!" he practically shouted. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, riding a horse?"

"Daniel, don't screw with me. You're supposed to be with Sam. We discussed this."

"I know and you were wrong. I spoke with Germanicus and he agreed that I could come. I also spoke with Sam and she thought I should come too so you were out voted."

"This isn't a God-damned democracy Daniel – this is the army. You are supposed to obey my orders."

"Well actually, Germanicus is the commander of this army and he said I could come. He outranks you."

"Not as far as you're concerned! Hell – we _talked _about this Daniel. You agreed."

"Not really. I just stopped arguing. I'm coming Jack so you might as well just accept it and enjoy the company. There's nothing you can do about it."

Jack glared at his insubordinate friend and spurred his horse, leaving Daniel behind. He was so angry he was afraid he'd end up hitting the man! Why did he have to be so bloody obstinate?

Through his anger, however, there was a small piece of him that was glad Daniel was along. Somehow he felt better knowing that at least a part of his team was with him. Now, if he could only have Teal'c and Carter he'd be much more sure of victory.

The thought of Sam led ultimately to the remembrance of that kiss. It had been unwise – but wonderful. It also made him determined to win this damn war and return in one piece. He'd be really pissed if he went and got himself killed just as he had a chance with her.

By the time they camped for the night Jack's leg and butt were killing him. It had been years since he'd spent so long in the saddle. Daniel was in even worse shape although he didn't have a bum leg.

They planned to reach the mountains by late the following day and would then spread themselves out along the trails and passageways. Much like they had done with the previous victory against the Adrano, they planned to force the opposing side to fight on their terms. Many of the Alemanni were mountain dwellers and knew how to fight amongst the rocks and cliffs. They would also be able to pull off some ambushes from a few strategic locations.

An advance force had gone ahead weeks before to plan and build some 'booby traps' for the Adrano. Jack prayed that they would work but knew that anything could happen in battle. He was pretty sure the Adrano would be expecting something different this time so would be more prepared.

One of the things which was an unknown was the weather. It was still winter in the mountains and could be treacherous – which was good to a point. If it got too bad, however, it could be just as dangerous for the Alemanni. There was always danger of an avalanche or rockslide. The planned ones would be good – the spontaneous ones not so good.

The second night, as they hunkered down in their tents and blankets Daniel and he spoke quietly.

"So Jack, do you think we'll win?"

"I don't know Daniel and I don't want to jinx it by saying anything."

"Jinx it? I didn't know you were superstitious."

"I think all soldiers are, to an extent – especially before a big battle. This isn't something I've experienced for a long time but I remember that no one wanted to talk about winning or losing the night before a battle."

"What did you talk about then?"

"Usually home and family", Jack said softly. "I used to talk to the guys about Sara and Charlie. I always carried a picture and would hold it and show it around. It was my good luck talisman." He stopped for a moment. "I had a picture of Charlie when we were brought here but it was lost so I just have to remember him in my head." Daniel looked at him sadly, knowing how difficult these memories were. "Of course, before I'd always think about making my way home to them but now it's different. Now, I just hope that Charlie'll watch out for me – for us", he turned and smiled at Daniel. "Sara – well, she's got a new life now and doesn't have to worry about me anymore." Jack leaned back and stared up at the tent ceiling.

"I still think about Share", Daniel added softly. "I think about her watching over me as well. I can almost hear her say "Danyel – be careful!" She used to tell me that all the time when I'd go running to look at some new discovery. She was always afraid I'd fall down a sand dune or something and break a leg." He too stopped talking, lost in his memories.

"I just wish there was someone waiting at home for me." Daniel spoke again. "Someone who cared whether I lived or died."

"There is Daniel. Sam cares a great deal – and everyone at the SGC – even though they may not know where we are and we may not see them again. They care – and so do I."

Daniel looked over in surprise, never having heard Jack speak quite so openly before about his feelings. But then again, as he had said, this was different from anything they'd experienced before.

"Me too Jack – I care", he paused, "and I know Sam certainly does!" He glanced over again and was pretty sure he saw Jack squirm. He figured it was about time to lighten things up a bit. "That was some kiss Jack!"

"Daniel!"

"What? It's not like you guys tried to hide it or anything. God, I could practically see the steam!"

"Daniel!" Jack coughed out, a warning in his voice.

"Look Jack – I'm happy for you both. You don't need to hide things you know."

"We're not hiding anything."

"No? I guess you're not – not if that kiss is anything to go by."

"That was the first time – I mean – at least for a - hell Daniel, we haven't been doing anything."

"No?"

"No. Look, if everything goes okay and we make it through this then we may decide to – change things – but nothing's happened yet, okay."

"Okay Jack."

"Fine – let's get some sleep – it's going to be a long, hard day tomorrow."

"Okay", Daniel repeated. Soon everything was quiet and Daniel could feel his eyes drift shut. Just as he was about to fall asleep he spoke again.

"But it was an amazing kiss Jack." Jack's boot almost hit him on the head.


	12. Nivis Casus

_**Again, my apologies everyone. I've been at another conference this week and so have been unable to update. Here is another short chapter - I should be able to start back to more regular updates after today.**_

He'd finally found him. It had taken months but once he knew where Rannulfus travelled he was able to track the man down. Now the problem was how to find out where he'd taken O'Neill and the others.

He sat in his corner of the dark and dank bar, watching the scum of the galaxy drinking and gambling. Every once in a while one of them would look over at him but would quickly turn away. It was obvious to everyone that Teal'c wasn't someone to be messed with.

Rannulfus was surrounded by a group of what Teal'c was sure were his own men. He was gambling with another Jaffa; not one of his own by the looks of contempt and hatred on their faces. There was clearly bad blood there.

Teal'c watched for hours as the two Jaffa continued to gamble. Finally, with a sound of disgust, the other man stood up and stomped off, clearly the loser. Rannulfus simply grinned and took a drink. Slowly, his men drifted away as soon as his opponent had left the bar.

Teal'c stood. Now was his chance. He walked over to the other man and sat down.

"I didn't invite you to sit", Rannulfus said calmly. "It's usually polite to ask."

"I am not here to be polite", Teal'c answered, also calmly. "I am here for information."

"I see. Information? I'm afraid I don't have any." Rannulfus took another drink and set his glass down with a decisive clunk. He then went to stand but had only gotten half way when Teal'c grabbed him by the arm and pulled him down.

"Who do you think you are", hissed Rannulfus. "I kill men for less than this."

"I told you, I want information – information that you have."

"And I told you, I don't have any. Now let me leave or I will call my men over and you will never need information again."

"Your men are otherwise engaged. They will not help you."

Rannulfus simply raised his eyebrow and then turned his head. Expecting to see his lieutenant and others of his crew he was surprised to see none of them. Frowning, he turned around fully. Finally, over in the corner, he caught sight of Petrus. He motioned to the man but his right had man shook his head. It was then that he saw the others – a number of Jaffa whom he didn't recognize were strategically placed around the room. What the hell was this?

"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked the large, dark-skinned man in front of him.

"I told you, I want information. As for who I am, it does not matter. All you need to know is that you will die if I do not find what I'm looking for."

"If you won't tell me who you are then what about those people?" he gestured with his head towards the unknown Jaffa.

"They are with me. They will also kill your friends if I do not get what I want."

Teal'c glanced casually towards the Jaffa Rannulfus had questions him about. After Bre'lan had approached him he had decided that he might need some 'back-up'. He had sent word to Bra'tac who had answered him by sending half a dozen Free Jaffa – along with a message.

"_Teal'c, I am sending you some young, untried Jaffa. They need training and it will serve them well to learn with you. I only ask that you return them safely when you rescue O'Neill and the others. Be strong my friend."_

"I will Bra'tac", Teal'c murmured to himself. "Don't worry, I will be strong and I will bring them back."

He was glad he had the Jaffa for it allowed him to concentrate on Rannulfus, who was looking extremely angry, but also a little frightened. He was obviously a man not used to acting on his own. His courage came from others.

"What information do you want", Rannulfus finally asked. He could kill this man later.

"Many months ago you stole three people. One was a woman with fair hair and blue eyes. Another was a tall man with grey hair and the third a younger man with dark hair and also with blue eyes. Do you remember them?"

Rannulfus pretended to think but in actual fact knew exactly who this mysterious Jaffa was talking about. He'd received a good sum for the younger man and woman – and had the satisfaction of sending the third to hell.

He looked up slowly. "I might. What will you give me to help me remember?"

"I will give you your life and that of your men. If you do not tell me I will take yours and theirs."

"But then you'll never find your people."

"I know which planets you do business on. It may take longer but I will find them with or without you."

"Hmmm – well, if it takes too long one of them at least will be dead. He probably is already."

"So, you do remember them?"

"Yes, of course. I remembered them immediately. I got a lot of money for that woman, even though she was a bit old. If she'd been younger I could have made even more.

"What did you do with them?" Teal'c growled. He was losing his patience.

"What I usually do with merchandise I find. I sold them. I sold the woman and the younger man at auction. I told you – I got a fortune for the woman and not a bad price for the man."

"What about the other man, the grey haired one?"

"Him? Oh, he was trouble. I had him – punished - and then he was sold to the galleys." When Teal'c looked puzzled by this the man continued. "The warships. They need slaves to operate them. Sadly, they don't last long. The conditions are pretty …. bad. Most men don't last more than a few months to a year, depending on how strong they are. Unfortunately this one wasn't in good shape to begin with."

"On which planet did you leave them?" Teal'c reached into his tunic and pulled out the map of the surrounding quadrant and laid it on the table. With a look of surprise Rannulfus lowered his head and studied the map. At first he refused to say but when Teal'c tightened his hand on his arm Rannulfus looked angry but replied.

"This one", he pointed to one of the stars on the map. "I go there twice a year to sell slaves."

"When is your next visit?" Teal'c asked.

"In a couple of weeks."

"You will take me and my men and you will help me rescue these people."

"I don't think so. Why should I help you? There is nothing in it for me."

"There is the same thing as a minute ago – your life." Teal'c stood and gestured for the other man to stand as well. "You will lead me to your ship. My men will follow."

"What about _my_ men?"

"You will tell them you have some business with me. When we are done you may return and pick them up." He motioned for Rannulfus to precede him. "I have a weapon trained on your back. If you do anything suspicious I will kill you and simply take your ship. If you cooperate I may return you alive. It is your choice."

Rannulfus slowly walked towards the door. The entire way he contemplated whether or not to try and either run or fight this man but quickly realized that either course of action would be foolish. The best thing for him to do, for now, was to go along with everything and wait for his chance.

"Petrus", he called as he neared his Lieutenant. "I'm going with this kind gentleman right now. He has hired me for some work. I will be back in a few days. Just watch the men and keep them out of trouble."

"Rannulfus, what's going on?" Petrus was mean but not stupid. He knew that something wasn't right.

"Nothing. I've just been hired to take this man somewhere and he doesn't want anyone else coming along. Just stay here, everything is fine."

"Okay." Petrus looked suspiciously at Teal'c who simply raised an eyebrow in return. When nothing else happened, and when Rannulfus continued to look as if nothing was wrong, Petrus shrugged. "You sure you don't want me to come along?"

"No, I'll be fine. Just watch the men and keep them out of trouble. "

Teal'c and Rannulfus headed out of the bar and towards the enclosed area where ships were allowed to land. Following closely behind were three of the free Jaffa that had come to help Teal'c. The rest remained in the bar watching Petrus and the rest of Rannulfus men.

By the time they'd prepared the slaver's ship it was late so Teal'c decided to leave at first light. It's not that the darkness made any difference because once they were in space there was no day or night. He decided however, that they'd all be better off if well rested so he told his Jaffa to relax. Looking around the ship he discovered the room where Rannulfus must have kept his victims. There was no discernable exit from inside and there were manacles on the floor. Teal'c chained the man to one of the metal pipes against the wall.

"Hey, you're not going to leave me here all night?" asked the angry slaver.

"Yes. I will return in the morning." Without saying anything further, Teal'c turned and walked to the door. He looked around the room and saw the dried blood stains splattered on one side of the room. He could only imagine what had happened in this room. When Rannulfus saw where Teal'c was looking he smiled.

"That's from your friend – the grey haired one. He screamed loudly when I had him whipped." Teal'c stopped and took a deep breath. Not turning he spoke softly.

"If he is dead, you will die too." With that he left the room but was unable to rest, thinking about his teammates and wondering if they were still alive.

It took two days to reach the planet where Rannulfus had said he'd sold the rest of SG1. During that time Teal'c had interrogated him and had found out about the slave market and the man to whom O'Neill had been sold. He debated about the best way to find his missing friends.

In the end he decided to bring Rannulfus and one of the Jaffa – Dre'lar – with him. The other two he left guarding the ship.

If we have not returned in two weeks you are to fly the ship out of here and let Bra'tac know. If Rannulfus returns without us – kill him."

Since they had arrived before Rannulfus usual time there were no horses or wagons waiting for them. This meant a longer walk until they could hire some. After a day's walk they were finally able to secure a wagon and they headed into the city.

"You will take me to Adipos and then to this man Palinurus. You will explain to them that you made a mistake – that the people you sold were not slaves. You will give them back the money you took for them and help me find them." Teal'c watched Rannulfus carefully, knowing he couldn't trust the man. They were almost in the city and Teal'c was keeping his zat well concealed but in easy reach. He carried a number of other weapons concealed in his robes as well as in some of the 'supplies' he'd brought with him. Dre'lar also carried a zat and his staff weapon. Teal'c was taking no chances.

By the time they arrived in Adrano city it was growing dark. It took them a while to arrive at Adipos' and the slave market was closed for the night. Teal'c could hear the sounds of men and women within the enclosures but he couldn't see anyone. He knew he had to be extremely careful.

"Dre'lar, you stay out here and watch carefully. You will come with me." He grabbed Rannulfus, who was still bound, and forced him to walk in front of him.

It took a few minutes of knocking but Adipos finally showed up. "What do you want?" he cried. "Who are you?"

Teal'c prodded Rannulfus. "Give your name – say anything else and you die."

"It is I, Rannulfus."

"Rannulfus, my friend", Adipos walked up and opened the door. "What are you doing here so late? Did you bring more slaves?"

Teal'c thrust his captive forward and turned his zat on the extremely rotund man in front of him.

"He is here with me. I have come to retrieve something that is mine."

Adipos looked quizzically at the zat. "What is that toy?", he asked. "You had best leave before I call my men."

Calmly, without blinking an eye, Teal'c pointed the zat at a barrel standing in the corner. He zatted it three times until it disappeared. He then turned back to Adipos. "You will answer my questions unless you are interested in going to the same place as the barrel.

A stunned Adipos was still staring at where the barrel had been. "And where is that?", he asked in a strangled voice.

"Hell", answered Teal'c.

Adipos began to sweat and looked frantically at Rannulfus who simply shrugged. "I suggest you do what he says."

"What is it you want?"

"I want my friends", answered Teal'c calmy. "I believe you sold them at your auction."

"Well then, I don't have them anymore so I can't help you."

"You can tell me where they are."

"Who is it you are talking about?"

Rannulfus answered. "The slaves I brought, the last time I was here. Remember – the fair haired woman and the dark haired man. Those are the ones he seeks."

"Yes, yes", cried Adipos. "I remember them, but you'll never get them back. I sold them legitimately on the open market. They belong to others now."

"They belong to no one. They are not slaves. You will tell me where they are so that I may retrieve them." Teal'c pointed the zat directly at Adipos. "Unless you wish to leave us?"

"All right, all right. But it won't do you any good anyway."

Teal'c simply raised that cynical eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Because they're not there anymore. I sold the woman to Dame Acquilina and the man to her brother Aetius. But they ran away. They are gone."

Of course, thought Teal'c, neither Daniel or Sam who submit to slavery for long. Also, if Jack had been taken elsewhere they would make sure to find him. Either that or O'Neill had rescued them. The problem, of course, was where they were now. Turning to Adipos he asked that very question.

"Do you know where they went?"

"No, although there was a rumor that they went to the Alemanni. They will give aid to escaping slaves."

"The Alemanni? Who are they?"

"They are barbarians and the sworn enemy of the Adrano. They live far to the east of here – at least for now. The Adrano army is marching out soon to conquer them and rid the world of them once and for all."

"How far away are they?"

"Well, it depends on which tribe", answered Adipos. "Some are closer than others. If that's where they've gone they could be anywhere."

Teal'c thought for a moment, debating what was his best course of action. He decided that first he needed to discover what had happened with O'Neill and then it looked like he had a trip in front of him.

"We will go to see Palinurus now", he said, turning slightly to Rannulfus.

"Why are you going to see him?" Adipos asked curiously.

"One of his friends was sold to him – for the galleys."

"Really? Well, he's probably dead. Galley slaves don't last long. And then there was the ship that was lost a few months ago. Palinurus lost over 60 slaves at one shot. He was pretty upset. Your friend may have been on that one. It was a ship that had just left Adrano which was probably the one your friend was on."

"Were there survivors?" Teal'c asked.

"No – no survivors."

Teal'c turned to Rannulfus and raised he zat, angry at the thought of what might have happened to O'Neill.

"Hey, you don't know that he's dead", Rannulfus cried in fear. The big man looked as if he was ready to kill.

Just at that moment, while his eyes were turned away from Adipos, the fat man pulled a hidden knife from his tunic and stabbed at Teal'c. The blade sliced into Teal'c's side but the blow was not fatal. Turning swiftly he zatted the slave merchant – not once, but twice, then three times, disintegrating the body. He then turned swiftly back towards Rannulfus who had turned to flee.

"Stop", Teal'c spoke softly, "or I will shoot you as well." Rannulfus stopped and slowly turned around. He could see that his captor was bleeding profusely. He'd probably die before long, he thought. I just need to wait it out.

Teal'c reached out and grabbed him and pushed him down on the ground. He then found a rope and tied Rannulfus carefully to a large settee in the room. After that he went and got Dre'lar and told him to watch the trader. "I will Kel'noreem", he told his companion. "Wake me before dawn for we must leave. We must find Daniel Jackson and Major Carter." And O'Neill, he said to himself. You are too strong to die, my friend, he said silently. I am coming for you

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It seemed to start out slowly. As the Adrano soldiers marched into the mountains the Alemanni simply watched. The deep snow muffled the sound of the feet tramping forward. Even the horses seemed to move silently although the white puffs of their breath could be seen from far away.

Jack and Daniel lay quietly from their position on top of one of the hills. They could look down on the endless sea of men but it all seemed surreal. It was as if it was a dream and not reality. The soldiers and horses were like ghostly apparitions as they moved silently on their deadly hunt.

It was shout – whether from an Adrano soldier or an Alemanno no one could ever say. All they knew was that it shattered the dreamlike quality of the morning. Instantly sounds erupted from every corner – the silence was broken by the sounds of men engaged in a battle to the death.

Afterward Daniel could remember little about the day except for the site of blood as it splashed on the pure white snow. Somehow the site made everything more real – and more horrifying.

For Jack it was the sounds that he would forever remember – the sounds of men yelling and screaming – and sometimes dying. Worse somehow than the sound of men were the sounds of horses as they fell or were cut by the swords and weapons of the soldiers. Their screams seemed to give voice to the base nature of humanity slaughtering each other.

As the day wore on, Daniel could feel the exhaustion set in. There had been periods of rest, as men retreated and advanced, but they had been short. He had thought he was prepared for the battle but realized, too late, that Jack was right. This was like nothing he'd experienced before. As evil as the Goa'uld were, their fighting didn't seem as barbaric or as bloody as that of the Adrano and Alemanni.

He had also never had to keep going long past the point when his muscles and joints were done. He could barely lift his arm.

He knew that if it hadn't been for Jack he would have been dead long before this. The Colonel had literally protected his back all day – watching to make sure no one came up behind him. He had been able to return the favor a couple of times, earning a swift grin from him friend, but he knew that Jack was by far the better cavalry soldier.

Daniel was actually surprised to realize how proficient Jack was on a horse. He was every bit as good a rider as Atta or Germanicus and often seemed to be part of the animal as he moved around, defending his companions and fighting off the Adrano.

It was, therefore, a shock when Daniel saw Jack suddenly tumble from the saddle. It was all so fast he wasn't quite sure what had happened. He wondered if O'Neill's horse had slipped on a patch of ice or snow. It was when he saw the enemy soldier jump off his horse and raise his sword that he realized – Jack must have been hit or injured. Without thought – and with some of the best horsemanship he'd shown that day – he swung his animal around and raced towards the soldier. His horse, Relevo, careened into the man, knocking him flying away from the fallen man.

Daniel jumped down from his horse and flew to his friend. Jack was covered with blood – but whether his own or others the younger man couldn't say. All he did know was that Jack wasn't moving. Keeping his eye out for enemy soldiers he quickly knelt down. With a small prayer he felt for Jack's pulse. Breathing a sigh of relief when he found it – faint though it was – he looked around for help. Unfortunately, the battle was raging fiercely and no one could be spared.

"Sorry Jack, I guess it's just you and me." Kawalski was standing quietly beside his fallen master. "Great – now how am I going to get you up on your horse?" He reached down and managed to get Jack to a seated position and then lifted him up on his shoulders. He finally managed to drape O'Neill over the horse and quickly tied him on. He then went and grabbed his horse and mounted it. Taking Kawalski's reigns he began to lead Jack away from the battle.

They had just gotten to the edge of the area where the men were fighting when he began to hear an ominous rumble. Startled and unsure of what he was hearing he looked around. It was when he heard a shout, telling him to look up, that he realized. The sounds of the battle had caused an avalanche to start higher up in the mountain – and it was heading straight for him. Turning quickly he began a race for his life, and for Jack's. The horses ran through the pass as quickly as they could, but Daniel knew it was going to be close.

It was Arminius who saw what was happening and who saw Daniel rushing away from the oncoming snow. Fortunately, where he and most of the troups were was out of the path of the avalanche. _Unfortunately_, there was nothing he could do to help. He could tell, however, that there was no way Daniel was going to make it in time. He sighed – what a loss – these two strangers had quickly become part of their community and they would be sorely missed. Samanta, of course, would be devastated.

By the time the avalanche reached the base of the mountain all the fighting had stopped. Some of the men were in the path and had been unable to get away in time. Their screams were swallowed as the snow enveloped them. The rest of the battlefield remained quiet, an eerie silence floating over everything.

It wasn't until after everything had settled that the battle began again in earnest. The two strangers, the two friends who had helped the Alemanni defend themselves, were lost to the meters of cold, white death.

_**Nivis Casus - Avalanche**_


	13. Exspecto

The women seemed to know when the battle had started. Up until this morning everyone had been tense but had tried to be positive and to keep the children from getting worried. Today, however, there was an air of foreboding over everything. Everyone, even the younger children were nervous and jumpy.

There were hundreds of women and children from Germanicus' tribe who were hiding in the hills. They were scattered throughout a number of hunting lodges and cottages, about 20 women and numerous children in each. Sam was with Germanicus' wife Mara and Alarice as well as the women and children from his immediate household. They were in the cottage closest to the battle ground, although it was still many miles away.

Sam was a rationale person. She believed in logic and empirical data and a few years ago would have scoffed at the collective feeling of dread. Her time going through the gate had changed that. She had seen too many inexplicable things to discount what everyone was feeling. Besides that, she too had woken up knowing that today was the day that something would happen.

In fact, she swore she could actually _hear_ the battle, even though she knew logically it was impossible. As she worked quietly alongside some of the women, preparing meals and looking after the younger and the older ones, she could sense that the men were engaged in a fierce battle to the death.

She wasn't particularly religious, even though her parents had taken her and Mark to church while they were growing up. She knew that her scientific training and her highly honed sense of logic often vied with an ability to believe in something beyond this universe. Today, however, she prayed. She prayed that Daniel and the Colonel would make it through safely. She didn't know what she would do if anything happened to either of them.

She too was beginning to believe that they were stuck on this planet for the rest of their lives. Without her friends she truly didn't know how she could cope living in this kind of a society. It wasn't that everyone hadn't been welcoming and friendly – in fact, she'd made some lovely friends among the women, and even some of the men. But she knew that here she would not be treated as an equal and she wouldn't be allowed to use her mind the way she needed to without Jack – or Daniel – to help.

But that was selfish, she suddenly realized. Her fear was for her guys – they were both such special people and didn't deserve this. They both had given too much in this life and deserved to live long, happy and peaceful lives. And, when it came to the Colonel, she hoped she'd be part of that life.

At one point, late in the afternoon, she felt a shiver run through her. Sitting up abruptly she gasped. Oh God, something had happened. She was sure of it. Mara noticed and came over. Sitting beside Sam she whispered,

"What is it Samanta?", she asked fearfully. "What is wrong?"

"I don't know Mara. I just felt – funny – as if something had happened."

"Something bad?"

"I think so although now I'm not so sure. It, it felt like maybe someone was hurt. I don't know though. It's probably just silly."

"It is not silly. I have sat through many of these battles and I have learned to trust things like that. It may be that your man has been wounded but I don't believe he is dead. You would know."

Sam felt embarrassed. Everyone assumed that she and Jack were a couple – which wasn't surprising really, considering the fact that they'd shared a bed for days. Still, she still felt it important that everyone know they were only colleagues.

"Uh, I don't have a man. Daniel and O'Neo are my friends and comrades. We are a team."

Mara looked at her, a skeptical look on her face. "You may say Oneo is not your man – but we all know it is true. He loves you, it is very obvious. If – no, _when_ he gets back I suggest you tell him. Nothing is certain in this world and you may regret waiting." With that she stood up and went to help with her young children. She turned back once and spoke again.

"We all saw that kiss Samanta – so don't tell me he is not your man." With a grin she left.

Sam could feel her ears turn red and glanced around at the other women. A number of them had overheard the conversation and were attempting to hide their smiles. A couple of them looked at her in compassion, seeming to sense her discomfort.

Hell, she thought. Why was she – no, why were _they_ trying so hard to keep things 'status quo'. They'd been here for almost nine months. At what point should they just decide to let go of the regulations and live their lives? She decided, there and then, that as soon as Jack returned she'd talk to him about changing things.

Suddenly she was the one who was grinning. She could just imagine his look of panic when she told him she wanted to _talk_. She was pretty sure he'd welcome what she had to say but she also knew the thought of actually having to take things out of the closet and talk about them would be a form of torture for the poor man. Oh well, she chuckled, it would be good for him.

The rest of the day she felt much calmer, although there was still a niggling feeling of something being not quite right. One minute she was worried, the next she was sure that everything would be okay.

It was interesting that she'd barely thought about the outcome of the battle itself. She should be worried, she realized. Even if Jack and Daniel made it through okay, if the battle was lost it could mean they were back to being slaves. Having escaped she knew it also meant their possible torture and death.

It was late that evening, and they had just gotten all the children settled, when Sam heard something. At first she figured it was simply the sound of the wind but after a while it changed to a more human sound. Someone was coming.

"Alarice, Mara, there's someone out there", she whispered. The two women came over and stood beside Sam. "Do you think it is our men returning?" Alarice asked.

"Somehow I don't think so", answered Sam. She had too many years as a soldier behind her and was pretty sure that whoever was out there was not a friend. "Tell the other women", she spoke quietly but decisively. They had planned for something like this and each woman had been given a weapon and an assigned place in case they were attacked.

Instantly there was murmuring in the room and the volume began to rise as fear set in. "Quiet everyone", Sam spoke. "We need to stick together and not panic. Just take your weapons and go to your assigned places." The children were in the loft of the small house and a number of the women climbed the ladder. Protection of the young was the first order of business. The last woman up reached back and pulled the ladder up into the loft behind her; making it difficult for anyone to get up there.

They rest of the women – about 13 of them - placed themselves in strategic positions around the cottage and then they waited. Sam took time to look at each of them, meeting their eyes and sending encouragement with a small smile. These women were not used to battle themselves, but had grown up with war. After their original fear they had settled down and were standing with courage and purpose.

Without warning there was a loud pounding on the door. It went on for a few seconds until someone began battering it. They could hear men's voices and laughter. Suddenly the door flew open and in walked three men. Looking through the doorway Sam could see more waiting outside.

"What do you want? What are you doing here?" asked Mara.

"Well, look what we have here", the first man replied. He was a huge bruit, and had obviously come from the battle. He still wore some of his armor and he was filthy and covered with blood. From the look of him it was clearly someone else's. It only took a second for the women to realize these were Alemanni, not Adrano soldiers. Unfortunately, that didn't give them any feeling of relief. The men were from a distant tribe, unknown to the women, and were every bit as dangerous as if they had been Adrano.

If there was one thing these women – and Sam – knew was that men returning from battle were extremely dangerous. They were filled with adrenaline and blood-lust and any woman had a right to be frightened. This was the time more women were raped and murdered than any other.

"You had better turn around and leave", Mara spoke again. "Our husbands will return soon and would not be happy to see you bothering us."

"Your husbands eh? Lucky men to have women like you. I say we stay and have some fun before they get back. You can give us something to eat and then …. we'll play."

"No. You will leave. My husband is Germanicus and you do not want to anger him."

"He'll never know", the man smirked. One of the others laughed. Sam felt a cold spike of fear run through her. These men were not only planning on rape – they'd make sure there were no witnesses left. Knowing that their lives were in extreme danger Sam decided at that moment that surprise was their only advantage. These men were too strong and too experienced in fighting to give the women much chance. She just wished she knew how many were outside.

"We'll feed you", she suddenly spoke. The other women looked at her in surprise. "How many plates should we prepare?" She looked at the burly man, obviously the leader of this little band.

The man walked towards her slowly, looking her up and down. She felt sick to her stomach when she saw his hot and evil eyes. She knew exactly what he was thinking – and what he wanted.

"Well, look here Raufus", he spoke to the man by the door. "We have a lively one." He stopped and turned. "She's mine!" He turned back to Sam and smiled, his rotten teeth adding to Sam's disgust.

"You!" He pointed at a woman standing by the fire. "You will serve me and my men – there are six of us."

So, thought Sam, that means that there are three more outside. She sighed in relief. That was manageable. Adella, the woman he'd spoken to, began serving the platters. One of the men grabbed two of the plates and walked to the door and handed them to the men outside. He returned and got two more – one for the remaining man outside and one for himself. The man Raufus and the leader both walked over to Adella but only Raufus took any food. The large man kept watching Sam. His appetite clearly lay in another direction.

"Come here", he reached out and grabbed Sam's arm and pulled her towards him. As she moved she glanced at Mara and Alarice and gave a small nod. Now was the time, while the others were occupied with filling their bellies.

"You and me are gonna have fun, sweetheart."

"Hey, be careful Gengrus, she looks like trouble!"

Gengrus laughed and pulled Sam closer. God, his breath just about killed her, she thought. Pressed up against his sweaty and filthy body she knew now was the time. Without a single change in expression she used every bit of strength she had and lifted her knee.

Gengrus grunted – a strangled sound – and bent forward. As soon as he did that Sam hit his nose, with all her might, with the heal of her hand. He was dead almost instantly, the bones from his nose pushed into his brain.

Unfortunately, the two others in the room, Raufus and the other man, reacted instantly. They each dropped their plates and reached for their weapons. As Raufus drew out his sword a pewter pot hit him on the arm and it went flying. It didn't stop him completely, however, and he was able to rush and grab one of the women.

"I will break her neck if you don't stop", he shouted. He backed away from the women in front of him, holding the young woman tightly. Everyone in the room stopped and he began to grin. The grin suddenly faded and his eyes grew big. Gradually, almost as if in slow motion, his arm relaxed from around the young woman's neck and he sagged to the ground.

"There you bastard!" shouted one of the older women. She held his sword in her hand and it was dripping with his blood.

The sight of the sword seemed to break the momentary paralysis of everyone. The third man in the room tried to fight but was swarmed by three of the women and was soon knocked to the ground and held. In the meantime, the men outside had heard the commotion and had tried to enter. A few more of the women had quickly barricaded the door, but they knew it wouldn't hold long. Eventually it began to move and the three men from outside slowly gained a foothold.

She motioned to three of the other women and they quickly exited through a small back window. Quietly they made their way around the back of the cottage until they could see the three men pushing on the door. With a nod the four women rushed the men from behind. Shortly thereafter the door open and more women came to their assistance.

The men fought ferociously but were hampered by the inability to use their swords in such close proximity. They did have the advantage of strength and Sam had to use every bit of her training to keep them literally off balance.

Thank you Teal'c, Colonel, she said to herself. Those two had spent countless hours training her to excel in hand-to-hand combat. They knew the dangers for a woman doing what she did and had wanted to make sure she was as prepared as she could be.

One of the men got in a good hit and her head snapped back. Damn, she knew she'd have a black eye from that one. One of the others used his foot and hit her in the side. She gasped and fell over, all the air knocked from her lungs.

The battle raged on, the men outnumbered but strong. Sometimes the women got in the way of each other and Sam feared they'd end up losing as a result. In fact, the men seemed to be slowly gaining ground in their fight. She knew it was time to end it.

Pulling herself up she looked around. Seeing a stack of broken pottery in the corner of the little porch she ran over and grabbed two large, although cracked, jugs.

Running back she handed one to Alarice and then pointed. One of the men was still struggling with three of the women but the other had grabbed Xenia and was holding her head back, his hand in her hair. His other arm was wrapped around her waist. The third man had pinned one of the women to the ground and was pawing at her blouse. With a sharp nod Sam brought her jug down hard on the back of that one's head. He instantly collapsed on top of the woman underneath him. He wasn't unconscious however and struggled to get up. At this point Sam looked down and saw one of the swords lying on the ground. Quickly she picked it up and turning the hilt downward hit the man again using it on the back of his skull. This time he stayed down.

She turned just in time to see Mara grab a second pot and smash it over the man holding Xenia. She'd clearly gotten him once already if the blood on the back of his head was anything to go by. The second hit laid him out although he wasn't completely unconscious, just severely stunned.

The third man had, by this time, been subdued by the remaining women. The entire battle, from start to finish, hadn't taken more than 10 minutes but, by the end, the women were victorious. All six men were either dead, as in the case of Gengrus, or incapacitated.

Within minutes the five remaining men were tied up. Sam oversaw that part of it, knowing well how careful they had to be. Once the men were bound they were placed in a corner under the watchful eyes of four of the women.

The men were made to lie face down, their hands bound behind their backs and their ankles bound. It wasn't comfortable but it allowed the women to ensure the men weren't loosening their bonds. The men knew they would probably by executed, not only for trying to attack the women, but for deserting the army. Because of that they would be desperate to escape.

"Nice job ladies", Mara spoke to the women who were shaken up but also proud of their efforts. Sam looked around at the disheveled women and couldn't help but smile. Maybe she _could_ live on this planet. She could start a whole new 'women's revolution'. These were strong and determined women, not second class citizens.

"Samanta, let me look at you. You are injured." Alarice came over to her.

"Who me? No, I'm fine." The adrenaline was still rushing through her and as yet she felt nothing.

"No, you are not. You're bruised and you are bleeding. You may also have some broken ribs. Sit."

Sam sighed in frustration. She knew why the Colonel got irritated by overly solicitous people. Sitting down she rolled her eyes. She was just fine.

Alarice then walked over with a bowl of water and began to dab at her face. "Ow!" she jerked back. "What are you doing?"

"You have a cut above your eye and on your cheek from where that man hit you. Let me clean it." Sam sat back and allowed her friend to finish wiping her face. Suddenly she began to feel both weak and woozy.

"Uh, I think –" she began to sway and would have fallen except for the hands from some of the women who held her up.

"Lay her down." Mara gestured to the others and they led Sam to one of the cots and helped her lie down. She was beginning to feel some of the wounds she hadn't even realized she'd received.

"I think you're right", she groaned. "I think he broke a rib." Her eyesight began to grow dim and the sounds of the cottage faded out. She knew, from experience, that she was losing consciousness. Her last thought, before darkness took over, was the men hadn't said anything about who was winning the battle.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Jack?" he tried to pull himself up but something was holding him down; something very cold and very wet. He tried again and this time felt something move. "Jack?" he repeated, but heard nothing. In fact, everything seemed totally still and quiet. Where in hell was he?

"Aw!" something cold and wet dribbled down his back. This time he forced himself onto his hands and knees. There was some resistance but finally he was able to get up. That's when he realized – he was covered in snow. Fortunately, it didn't seem to be too deep or he wouldn't have been able to move. He began to dig and within just a few seconds he could begin to see light. It looked like he had been caught in a mini-avalanche. As he finally managed to pull himself upright he looked around.

"Whoa!" he whistled. Okay, so it hadn't been a mini-avalanche – it had been a major one. He looked around at the pile of snow which had completely obliterated the pass behind them.

Jack! Oh no, where was he? He looked over and could see the two horses standing about 20 feet away. Clearly he and Jack had been knocked off by the tail end of the avalanche. The horses had managed to outrun most of it and had made it through. He just hoped to God that Jack was somewhere nearby and wasn't buried too deep.

But where to look? He began to search frantically. Jack could suffocate quickly under the snow and Daniel had no idea how long he'd been out himself. The problem was, there was nothing that showed where his friend might be.

"JACK!" he shouted, his voice echoing eerily in the desolate white field of snow. Nothing. He shouted again. "JACK." Still nothing.

He continued to look around, and pushed himself over the mounds of the snow. A number of times he sank into the snow up to his waist. He had to be careful – he could end up being buried again.

As he continued to search he began to realize he was not only cold and wet, he could begin to feel various aches and pains. He also noticed that there was blood on his clothing. He'd received some wounds in battle which he hadn't even noticed. He figured they couldn't be too bad or he'd be feeling much worse – or so he hoped.

"JACK", he continued to shout and search but couldn't find anything. God, how could he ever return to Sam without him? Suddenly he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned swiftly, but there was nothing – just an endless sea of white. He went to turn back when again he noticed movement.

Okay, what the hell was it? He stared for a few more minutes until he saw it again, this time clearly. The snow, about 30 feet in front of him, was moving. He raced over, as quickly as he could, and began to dig.

"Jack", he muttered, "this had better be you and not some mountain lion." He continued to dig, his hands freezing, when something poked itself out of the snow. Grinning, he saw that it was Jack's hand – he'd know that thumb anywhere! He reached over and grabbed it – causing the hand to pull back – and then relax. He grinned again – he'd probably just scared the crap out of his friend.

He kept digging, this time focusing on the area where he thought Jack's face must be. It took a few minutes but eventually the snow collapsed in a small area and he frantically removed it. There must have been a small pocket of air over Jack's face. Now the snow had collapsed from his digging so he knew he had to hurry.

He suddenly heard gasping and began to wipe the snow off his friend's partially visible face. In a matter of seconds he'd cleared the snow and was looking down at O'Neill.

"Thanks", Jack gasped weakly. "Thought I was going to be here till spring."

"It is spring."

"I'm freezing and you're correcting me?." Jack's one arm was free by this time and he began to try and push more snow off of himself. He was clearly too weak to do much so Daniel continued to dig, just glad he'd found his friend.

"How ya doing?" he asked, glancing up at the pale face of the partially buried man.

"Uh – a little chilly." He paused, his eyes closed. Daniel thought he'd either fallen asleep or unconscious when he spoke again. "Why is someone constantly trying to turn me into a popsicle?" he complained. "I don't even like snow."

"But you're from Minnesota!" Daniel had uncovered most of his torso by this time and became worried as he saw Jack begin to shiver.

"Yeah, just means I _know_ how bad snow and cold are, doesn't mean I have to like them. Uh Daniel?"

"Yes Jack?"

"Do you think you could go a llliiittttllle faassstteerr", he was really starting to shiver violently.

"Cold?"

"Yeaahh."

"I'm trying Jack." He sped up the digging and soon Jack was completely uncovered. He looked carefully at his friend and became even more worried. The snow surrounding him was completely brown from blood.

"Uh Jack?"

"Yeah", Jack answered as he tried to push himself up, without much luck.

"Where are you hurt?"

"Hurt? I'm not – just ccccolldd."

"Ummm – I don't think so", Daniel pointed down at the snow. Jack glanced down and then frowned.

"Oh crap! Is that from me?"

"I don't know. You were knocked out and I was able to get you on your horse when the avalanche hit. We had to make a run for it and almost made it – fortunately we hit just the edge – but you were already hurt by the time you were covered.

"Well, exxxccceppt for the ccccoolldd, I don't feel toooo badddd – just a heeaaadache."

"All right. We'd better get out of here and get you checked out. Do you think you can walk?"

"Ssssurre", he reached his hand up to Daniel, who clasped it and helped pull the Colonel to his feet. Jack managed to stand and promptly fell forward, toppling right into Daniel.

"Uh, gueessss, not." He gasped – and shivered.

"Okay, I'll get you over to Kawalski. Try and help as much as possible."

"Kkkk-"

"Yeah, he made it", Daniel said, figuring out what Jack was asking. "So did my horse. We're lucky. Unfortunately, we aren't going to be able to make it back to where the battle was. The pass has been buried completely. We're going to have to go around." Both men looked forward at the unknown trail ahead of them. Although they were lower down than where the snow had originated from, it was still cold and would get colder as night fell. Without supplies or a change of clothes they were both in extreme danger of hypothermia. They were definitely not out of danger yet.

It took longer than Daniel had hoped and Jack wasn't much help. It had only taken one step to realize that not only was he weak, but he'd damaged his knee again. He couldn't put any weight on it at all.

"Damn!" he'd cursed. Jack was feeling awful and knew a lot of it was coming from his throbbing knee.

"We're almost there", grunted the man next to him. Jack glanced over and immediately felt bad. He'd been so preoccupied with his weakness and aches and pains he hadn't even bothered to check on Daniel.

"Hhhey", he stopped, "yyyoouu okkkkkaaay?"

"I will be when we find a nice warm, dry place with a fire and a big cup of coffee."

"Ccccruueell!" chattered Jack. What he wouldn't give to be warm and dry – and on some nice painkillers, right about now.

"I'm going to help you up Jack." They'd finally reached the horses that were both still standing calmly, gazing at the men as if they were making a bid deal over nothing. Daniel knew this might be tricky.

"Kkkkay." Jack reached up and put both arms over top of the horse and leaned into it.

"Can you put any weight on your bad leg?" Daniel was trying to figure out how to get the man up. He might have to do it the same way as the first time although he wasn't sure if he had the strength left, at this point, to lift the man.

"Yeah", Jack answered shortly. Talking through the shakes was becoming too difficult.

Allowing the horse to take much of his weight, Jack slowly lifted his good leg so Daniel could cup his hands under his foot. He had to grit his teeth as his bad leg was forced to take even a bit of his considerable weight.

"Okay, here goes." Daniel slowly lifted Jack's foot, allowing the man to then kick his bad leg over top of the horse. He could feel the older man's groan as the movement caused burning pain to sear up his leg into his groin.

Jack landed with a loud 'thwap' into the saddle and immediately leaned forward and grabbed onto the mane. He felt faint and knew he could easily fall back off the horse.

"Do you need me to tie you on?" Daniel asked hesitatingly. He knew such a good horseman as Jack would hate that and was therefore surprised when his friend simply nodded yes. Geesh , he must be in bad shape.

Daniel took some of the leather ties which were still hanging from the horse – unfortunately they hadn't stopped Jack from flying off when the snow hit – and tied his friend's feet together under the horse. He then tied each wrist separately to the saddle, leaving enough room for maneuverability.

"How's that?" he asked, feeling completely exhausted. Maybe he should tie himself to his horse.

"Gggoodd." Jack answered, again shortly. Daniel looked at him closely and worried that his friend was going to pass out. He was ghostly white.

Walking over to his horse he was able to mount – just. He was so damned weak! He pulled it alongside Jack's and grabbed the reigns from the other man.

"Hhhey", Jack complained.

"You look like you're going to pass out Jack. We need to get out of here as quick as we can so just shut up, okay." Daniel began to head in the opposite direction from the battle, and the avalanche. He was surprised to hear a shaking 'okay', coming from his friend.

They must have travelled for a couple of hours before they started to head down into what Daniel hoped was a warmer – valley. He kept glancing back at Jack who, by now, was lying with his head on the horse's neck. He didn't know if his friend was comatose or not, but knew he had to get them to some kind of shelter very soon. Jack's shivering had slowed and almost stopped, which Daniel knew was a very bad sign.

It was another 40 minutes before Daniel saw it. It was a small hut just at the base of the mountain. Probably belonged to a local shepherd, thought Daniel. Well, whoever it belonged to didn't matter. Right now it meant salvation for both of them.

He drew up to the small house and was happy to see a small lean-to which was clearly used for horses. There was enough room for two or three and there was even some hay leaning up again the one wall.

"First things first", he murmured. He had to get Jack off the horse and into the house. He dismounted, almost falling into a heap himself, and walked to the door. Thankfully it was open. He peaked inside and was relieved to find it furnished, although crudely.

He returned to Jack and quickly removed the ties from his friend's feet and wrists. "Jack", he called, "can you hear me?" He gently shook the man and after a few seconds his eyes peaked open a tiny bit.

"Hmmm?" was all Jack answered.

"We've found some shelter. I'm going to get you down now. Can you help?"

"Mmmmm", Jack answered – which didn't mean a hell of a lot, thought Daniel. Oh well, he sighed, here goes.

He reached up and pulled Jack towards him. Of course, as he pulled him off the horse the weight increased and Daniel staggered and fell, the older – and bigger – man sprawled on top of him.

It took a while but he finally managed to pull himself out from underneath and pushed himself to his feel. Looking down he wondered how in hell he was going to do this. He didn't have the strength to lift him.

"Jack, you have to give me a hand here. I need to get you inside and I can't do it by myself."

"hrmph."

"Yeah – that's helpful! Now, come on, move your butt airman! You've done harder things than this." He glanced down and saw one of Jack's eyes open – and glare at him – the other eye was plastered against the ground. Fortunately, Jack listened and attempted to pull himself up. He wasn't able to get to his feet and they ended up getting him into the small hut through a combination of Daniel dragging him and Jack crawling. By the time they made it indoors Daniel wasn't sure who was the most exhausted.

"We're almost there and then you can rest Jack." The man grunted in response but continued to try and crawl to the single bed in the room. By the time they made it Jack collapsed, finally having reached his limit.

"Great! Now how to get you into bed?"

"Never thought I'd … hear you say that … Jackson!"

He let out a crack of laughter, needing the release after the tension of the last few hours – heck, the entire last day. "Sorry Jack, you're not my type. I'll leave that to Sam."

He was pretty sure he heard a strangled noise coming from his friend at that comment and grinned. It was rare that he could truly get O'Neill – the master of Daniel bating – but when he did, it was a glorious moment.

"So, any ideas?" He sat back in exhaustion, on the floor beside the Colonel, who was still lying on his stomach. "I can't lift you. You know", he suddenly paused and looked at his friend. "you're heavy!"

A muffled "thks" came from the Colonel.

"Still no ideas?" he asked again. He knew he really had to get Jack looked after – he could be in big trouble and must already have been suffering some hypothermia, but right now it was more than he could do to even move.

"Nope"

Daniel sighed. I guess that was the extent of my rest, he thought. With a deep groan he hauled himself to his feet and looked down at the collapsed body of his best friend. "Here we go Jack – once more and you'll be done. 

He watched as O'Neill again pushed himself to his hands and knees – or knee to be more accurate. He could see the man's arms shaking, not from cold this time but from weakness. With Daniel's help he managed to get his upper body on the small bed. Eventually, with much cursing and swearing they were able to get the rest of him up. Jack immediately passed out.

Tired and sore beyond belief, Daniel knew he had things to do before stopping and resting himself. The first thing he did was check to see if there was anything in the hut. He was hugely relieved when he found a stack of rough blankets and immediately placed three over his friend. He looked around some more and found kindling and wood.

"Hallelujah!" he exclaimed. He quickly built a fire, grateful for Jack's foresight in making him learn how to do it without matches. Once the blazing fire was going he quickly made his way out to the horses. He took their saddles off and made sure they had food and water.

"I'd like to groom you both – you deserve it – but that'll have to wait guys. " He patted them both on their rumps and then headed back to the cottage. Time to check his friend.

He pulled Jack's blankets back and winced when he saw the sodden, blood covered clothes. "I hope most of this isn't yours", he said softly.

He hated to do it but knew he had to get O'Neill's wet clothes off right away and get him warmed. He could tell, from the icy skin, that things were serious.

It took him a few minutes but he finally had stripped him down to nothing. "I gotta say Jack, I'm glad you're unconscious." He then began to carefully check the older man for any wounds.

Although there were a number of bad looking bruises – and numerous cuts and scrapes – there didn't seem to be anything too serious. In the end it seemed the blood, for the most part, hadn't been his. His knee looked bad again – it was terribly swollen, so Daniel wrapped it up to give it some support. After that he bound some of the other small wounds.

"So, what caused you to fall from your horse?", he mused out loud. Gently he reached down and felt Jack's skull beneath his hair. "There!" he felt a large lump just behind the other man's ear. "Someone must have clobbered you." Although there was some worry that Jack had a concussion, for the most part Daniel was relieved that it wasn't something worse. He'd been frightened that he'd been stabbed or hacked with a sword.

Still, the hypothermia was a real danger. Jack was way too cold and needed to be warmed up as quickly as possible.

"Damn! Well, I guess we've no choice Jack. I guess it's my turn to sleep with you. Sam", he called out softly, "where are you when I need you?"

Quickly stripping out of his own wet clothes (there was no way his boxers were coming off!) he laid out both his and Jack's in front of the fire. For now, these were the only clothes they had.

"Here's hoping these blankets aren't harboring bed bugs or lice!" he muttured as he climbed onto the small bed beside Jack and pulled the blankets over both of them. Fortunately, Jack was facing away from him but still, he found this very – uncomfortable. It didn't matter though – Jack's life was worth way more than a bit of discomfort on his part. With a sigh he scooted closer and draped an arm over Jack's shoulders.

"You'd better appreciate this Jack", he whispered. "And you'd better not tell anyone – or _I'll_ have to shoot _you_."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

By the following day the women were still pretty shaken by their fight with the deserters. In the morning Sam had attempted to ask their prisoners about the battle but none of them would speak. She'd arranged to have them fed and they were led, one by one, to use the outhouse. Since it was too dangerous to undo their wrists Sam had arranged for the older, married ladies to go and 'help' with the process. It had been almost amusing to see the tough soldiers return with beat red faces.

Throughout the entire next day everyone had been edgy, waiting for news. The children had started acting out and being naughty, clearly in response to the tension of their mothers and other women. Sam had had to stay close to the house, still too sore from the fight to go far. She wished she could run – she needed something to wear off the nervous tension that filled her. She never before had realized how difficult it was to be the one left behind, waiting.

It was late that night, after the children and many of the women had retired, that Sam again heard someone approach. This time she could hear a horse. Feeling her heart beat increase she walked over and woke Mara.

"Someone's coming", she told Germanicus' wife. "I don't know who." The other woman quickly stood up and together they went to the small, shutter covered window. Peaking out carefully they couldn't tell who it was. As their eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, however, Mara breathed in quickly, her breath a sharp 'hiss' in the stillness of the night. Sam turned to look at her.

"Do you know –" 

"It is Arminius", she said, her voice a mixture of fear and relief. She quickly walked to the door and opened it and both she and Sam slipped out, closing the door quietly behind them.

"So?", Mara asked as the man approached the house.

Arminius looked at her with a small smile. "The battle is ours. The Alemanni were victorious." Sam closed her eyes for a second in relief. She took a deep breath and opened them as the woman continued.

"And Germanicus?" the loving wife asked.

"He is well. He sent his love to you and greetings to the other women. He also wanted me to let you know that Atta is safe. They are still dealing with the aftermath of the fight and with the prisoners. He says it may be many days until they are able to return."

Mara almost fell back in relief. Sam looked over at her and could see the tears in her eyes. With a small smile she hugged her friend. "I am so happy for you." The relieved woman nodded and smiled in return, wiping her eyes with her handkerchief. Sam then turned back to Arminius.

"What about Oneo and Daniel?" she asked. Arminius simply looked at her and said nothing - and she knew.

"Oh God", she gasped out. "No – they're okay, I know they're okay", her voice entreated. "They can't be dead. Please, please, say they're okay."

"I am so sorry Samanta", the man spoke softly and regretfully. "They did not make it."

"Didn't make it? What do you mean? Are you telling me they're dead? How? Why?" She looked angrily at the young man.

"I am sorry", he repeated. "The fighting was going on all day and they had done well when suddenly they were buried by a huge fall of snow from the mountain. It was dislodged with all the fighting. They attempted to get away but did not make it."

"What?" she asked, confused. What was he saying? They were trapped by _snow? _"Are you telling me they were covered by an avalanche?"

"Ava -? I do not know that word. I was watching them when I saw the wall of snow fall down. It killed many soldiers, including Oneo and Danihel. They tried to run away from it but their horses did not make it."

She now knew what it felt like to have your world come to an end. Daniel, her friend, her brother was gone. No more look of wonder, of discovery – no more Daniel running on about his latest discovery – and no more Daniel teasing his friend.

His friend! Jack – oh God, she couldn't even bear to think of him. How could she live without him? Mara was right – you never knew what life would bring. Here she had lost the man she loved and she had never really told him how much he meant to her, how much she loved him.

"Jack, my love", she whispered. " I'm so sorry, so sorry." Turning away from the looks of pity she could see on the faces of Arminius and Mara she looked instead up to the stars. "Are you there Jack?" she asked softly. "If you are, know that I will always love you." She continued to stare up at the night sky as the tears fell softly from her eyes.


	14. Via Amor

**_There seemed to be some problems opening the chapter last night. I hope everything is okay today._**

Leaving Rannulfus under the watchful eye of Dre'lar, Teal'c decided to see what information he could find in the city. He knew he had to be somewhat careful but he was here as a free man – and his very size and demeanor kept people from objecting too strongly to his enquiries.

His first stop was the home of Aetius, the man who had bought Daniel. He had discovered that the man had been a soldier but had been blinded in the war. Now he was a scholar, an obvious connection to the purchase of Daniel Jackson.

Teal'c decided that the best approach was the truth. He didn't have anything to fear and he had heard that Aetius was an honorable, if conservative man.

He waited in the antechamber where the servant Nicia had left him. The man had looked at him strangely when he said he was here about the slave 'Danihel'. He'd have to try and speak to the servant alone.

"You may go in now", Nicia told him. "He is ready for you. Please, do not mention his blindness." Teal'c bowed his head in acknowledgment and followed the servant into the room. Aetius sat over by the window enjoying the spring air. It was obvious by the way he sat that he couldn't see, but he could feel the warm sun on his face.

"You are looking for my slave?" he asked, without preamble.

"No, I am looking for my friend Daniel. He is not a slave", answered Teal'c quietly.

"He was while he was here – I bought him honestly from the market."

"I do not believe one can ever purchase another human being 'honestly", Teal'c answered. "Daniel was a wise man, a scholar and an explorer. He was captured by evil men and sold into slavery. I came to this place to bring him home."

"Well, you are too late. He is gone. He left me months ago." Teal'c looked at the older man closely. There was something in his voice, which gave evidence to an emotion beyond the anger or frustration over the simple loss of property.

"Do you know where he went?" Teal'c asked. "I must find him."

"No, I don't know, although the rumors are he went with a woman and they fled to the Alemanni." He stopped and snorted. "He will get what he deserves with them. They are barbarians!" He moved around restlessly. "Why would he leave?" He looked over to where he could sense Teal'c was standing. "I treated him well. He had books and things to study. I even let him go to the market when he wanted. What could the Alemanni give him that I could not?"

"Freedom", answered Teal'c gently. "It is priceless to those who do not have it."

Aetius just shook his head, not understanding. He had felt Danihel was special and was angry and hurt that the man had left him. "What more do you want? I told you, I don't know where he went."

"You said he left with a woman. Do you know who that was?" Teal'c asked, although he was sure he knew. He just wanted to see if the man had any further information.

"Yes, she was a slave of my sister, Acquilina. She must be why Danihel left. That woman treats her slaves terribly. He probably thought himself a hero and decided to rescue her." He stopped and smiled, a humorless smile. "Acquilina wasn't pleased. Not only did she lose her slave, I heard that when they escaped they killed her housekeeper, a woman loyal to my sister."

"They? Do you mean Daniel and this woman?"

"Yes, and there were a couple of other slaves as well. Crispus, the son of my housekeeper and a servant in my sister's house, ran away at the same time, along with another female slave."

"Have you heard anything about an older man? A tall man with grey hair?"

"Was he a slave?"

"He was captured with my friends. I heard he may have been sold to the galleys."

"In that case he is probably dead. Galley slaves don't last long."

"Where would I find them?"

"Well, on the galleys, of course", the man laughed. "If he's alive he'll probably be at sea. They come in occasionally to get supplies but most of the time they're gone. I suggest you speak with Palinurus – but be careful. He's an evil man."

"Thank you for your information and for taking the time to speak with me." Teal'c turned to walk to the door when Aetius spoke.

"I wouldn't suggest you bother my sister. She's not very nice and won't like to be reminded of her loss. You could try speaking with her step-son. There is no love lost there, although they pretend."

"Why do they pretend?" Teal'c looked over at Aetius.

"Because there is money and property involved. Arrianus is a smart one. He knows he is safest when he pretends to be friends with Acquilina. If you ask me he is simply biding his time to find something that proves her guilt. Either that or he's planning on murdering her." He laughed again. "I just hope she doesn't beat him to it."

Teal'c frowned, wondering what this was about. He could tell that Aetius didn't want to speak anymore when the man turned blindly towards the window.

Nicia met him at the door and went to lead him out when Teal'c stopped. "Do you know something about Danihel?" he asked. He was sure the man knew something by the way he was acting.

Nicia looked around carefully and then gestured for Teal'c to follow him into a small room off the main hall. It looked like a study - one which hadn't been used for a long time.

"The master loved Danihel like a son and was devastated when he left." Teal'c nodded, not surprised. "But Danihel was not like the other slaves. He was born to freedom and was a well-educated, intelligent man. He did not belong here although everyone liked him." Again, Teal'c wasn't surprised. That was Daniel Jackson all right.

"He had a friend – Turpisia – no, Danihel called her Samanta – and he was very worried about her. He used to get reports from Crispus about how she fared. Just before he ran away he had found something out. I do not know what it was, but he went to the Market many times and spoke there to a beggar. Shortly afterward he left along with Samanta and Crispus and another young woman."

"Do you know where they went?" Nicia looked at him narrowly, trying to determine whether or not he could trust this man. "They are my friends", Teal'c told him. "I am here to rescue them and take them back to freedom in our country. I will not hurt them."

Nicia seemed to make up his mind, and nodded once. "They were taken to the household of Germanicus, the leader of the Alemanni. They made it there safely but I do not know how they are now." He took a deep breath. "You have heard about the war? Well, the soldiers left over a week ago with the intent to wipe out the Alemanni. They were headed to Germanicus' lands as he was the one responsible for their victory."

"Victory?"

"Yes, just a few months ago. A battle was fought just before Danihel escaped and the Alemanni won. There was a rumor that someone, a newcomer to the land, helped them plan and win the battle."

Teal'c nodded and thanked the man. He now knew where Major Carter and Daniel Jackson had gone. He did not yet know where O'Neill had been taken but he would not rest until he found his friend and brother. "Why do you know these things?" he suddenly asked Nicia. He was curious that the man knew where the runaway slaves had gone.

Nicia looked at him seriously. "Crispus is my son", he answered. "He sent me word." With a nod Teal'c thanked him again.

"I will watch out for your son and tell him that I saw you. And do not worry, I will not speak of this to anyone."

After Teal'c had left he returned to the room where he'd left Bre'lan and Rannulfus. "You will accompany Rannulfus back to the ship. Watch him carefully", Teal'c cautioned the younger Jaffa. "Do not let him trick you."

"I will not Teal'c. But what of you? Where will you go?"

"I go for my friends Bre'lan. I have found where two of them are and will continue to look for the third."

As they left the next morning Rannulfus turned to him and spoke. "You will not find them, you know. The Adrano will kill them or capture them first. The Alemanni have no hope of winning the war. And as for your other friend – the grey haired one – I am sure he is dead."

"You must pray he is not", Teal'c answered, "or my promise to you stands. You will die."

Later that morning, after Bre'lan and the slave-trader had started on their return to the ship, Teal'c made his way to the docks to see if he could find this Palinurus.

He wandered for a while, looking at the sailors, the beggars and the women who sold themselves to those who were coming from the vessels docked by the rough wharves. He stopped and asked for directions and finally made his way to a dingy office stuck down a dank alley. Outside the door were two huge men who watched him without expression. When he reached to open the door one of the two men stepped in front of him.

"What do you want?" the man grumbled.

"I am simply here for some information. I come to see Palinurus."

The two men looked him up and down. "I don't think he wants to see you." They didn't move and didn't let him enter.

Teal'c reached into the small purse tied at his waist and pulled out a few coins. Tossing them up and down he simply looked at the two guards. "All I want is to ask a question – nothing more."

The two gorillas looked at each other and one put out his hand. Teal'c dropped the coins into it and they moved aside. Again, he reached out and pushed the door open and walked into the dark room.

"Who are you?" a soft voice came out of the darkness. Teal'c squinted, trying to see the source of the voice.

"I am Teal'c. I come in search of my friends."

"Friends? Why are you here? It is not my business to find 'friends' for people."

"No, but you do buy slaves and one of my friends was sold to you for the galleys."

"If I bought him then he is mine. You might as well forget him – friend or not."

"No, that is not acceptable. He is more than a friend, he is a brother."

Teal'c could barely see the man but he could see the dismissive shrug he gave.

"Again, not my problem. You will leave now."

"I will find him and I will set him free - and then I will return." Teal'c turned towards the door.

"Who is your friend?" Palinurus suddenly asked, although his voice still sounded disinterested.

"His name is O'Neill – he is a tall, grey haired man. He was sold many months ago by Rannulfus, the trader."

There was silence for a few seconds and then a small, faint laugh. "He is dead. You might as well quit now."

"Dead?" Teal'c walked closer to where the practically invisible man sat. "How do you know?"

"The ship he was on sank in a battle with the Alemanni. No one survived. Now you will leave."

Teal'c stood for a moment longer and then turned and left. He walked by the two guards but didn't look at them.

"I will find you O'Neill and after I do I will return and I will kill that man." Teal'c said to himself. He realized, as he walked away, that he'd just been in the presence of pure evil.

The next day he set out for this 'Germanicus' home, following in the footsteps of the Adrano army. He just hoped that he would find his friends and that they would be alive.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

He was finally beginning to warm up and snuggled into the warm body next to him. It had been so many years since he'd had someone to sleep with and was realizing just recently, not only how much he liked it, but how much better he slept. He sighed – Sam was the nicest thing he could hope to wake up to!

He turned over and put his arms around her.

"Hey, what are you doing?" a male voice broke into his thoughts and he frowned. Who was that talking and why did he sound so close?

"Jack, move over!" Daniel? It was Daniel? He opened his eyes and found himself looking into a pair of blue eyes, only inches from his own. The only problem was they were the _wrong_ eyes. Not only were the wrong eyes they were –

"Daniel!" he pulled himself back violently, scooting to the very edge of the narrow bed. "What the hell are you doing Jackson?"

"Me? You're the one who grabbed me – hell, you were the one who was _snuggling_ with me_!_ Yech!" Daniel had moved as far away to the other side of the bed as he could get.

"Well crap! I didn't know it was you! How was I supposed to know you'd climb in bed with me?"

"You were freezing. In fact, you had hypothermia and I was trying to save your life." There was a long silence.

"Oh - okay – I guess." Another pause. "Thanks", Jack said stiffly.

"You're welcome", Daniel answered, equally as stiffly. The two men lay there, not moving, embarrassed by the situation they were in. Suddenly Daniel heard a 'snort'. After a couple of seconds he heard another one and then Jack began to laugh. At first he was offended but then he began to see the ridiculous side of things and let out a chuckle of his own. Within seconds he was laughing along with his friend.

"Oh God", Jack choked. "I can't believe I woke up to – you – staring at me."

"Hey, how do you think I felt? I was lying there sound asleep when suddenly you _hugged_ me!", Daniel could barely breath.

"I didn't know it was you – believe me – I didn't know!" He tried to catch his breath. "You realize I'll have to kill you if you tell anyone about this." Jack laughed again, the tears running down his face.

"Hey, if anyone finds out I'll kill _myself_. God, can you imagine if Reynolds or Ferretti found out about this?"

"Hell – what if _Walter_ finds out. It'll be all over the base in a second!" Jack continued to snicker.

"Oh my God", gasped Daniel, "Teal'c will raise his eyebrow -"

"And mutter 'Indeed'", Jack choked.

"Indeed!" The two men erupted again in laughter. Finally beginning to calm down Daniel rolled on his side and looked at his friend.

"You are pretty toasty you know. I can see why Sam likes cuddling with you so much."

He watched in amusement as the Colonel went red and immediately looked anywhere but at Daniel. He loved being able to tease Jack.

"Daniel!", warned his friend. "Don't go there."

"Go there? Me? Hey, you guys are the ones who 'went there' – not me. Come on Jack", he said as the other man continued to look uncomfortable. "You've gotta know that I'm happy for you. At least I would be if the two of you would ever get your act together!" At that Daniel rolled out of bed and put his feet on the cold floor. Standing up he hobbled over to the clothes to check and see if they were dry.

"Here", he said, tossing Jack's clothes to him. "You'd better get dressed." He quickly donned his own clothes and walked over to Jack. "How are you feeling anyway?"

"Not too bad", answered Jack quietly. He looked up at his friend and smiled softly. "By the way – thanks! Really. I know you saved my life and -"

"Nothin' you haven't done for me on many occasions Jack. Just forget about it okay?"

"Oh believe me – I will!" he grinned up at Daniel who grinned back. "I don't suppose there's anything to eat?"

"Sorry, no. I think there's a stream outside so I'll get some water but I'm afraid that's all there is – unless you'd like some hay?"

"Na, I think I'll pass. Any idea where we are?"

"Not really although we're definitely south of where the battle was being fought. I'm hoping there'll be a path that leads back around to where we were. I wonder how the battle is going?"

"It's probably over by now. We need to get back to where the women are." Jack didn't look up as he put on his socks but Daniel knew he was thinking of Sam. So was he, for that matter. He prayed the Adrano hadn't come out victorious.

Jack tried to stand up but swiftly sat back down as the pain spiked through his knee.

"Damn!" he muttered.

"Bad?" Daniel asked sympathetically.

"Yeah. I must have twisted it again when I was knocked off the horse. Do you think there's a branch or something outside I could use as a cane?"

"I'll check when I get the water. Take it easy, okay?" He reached out and touched Jack's forehead. "I think you're still suffering from the hypothermia. Your temperature feels a bit cool."

"I'm fine Daniel. Nothing a nice hot bath, and a big steak, won't cure."

"Thanks Jack – just what I need to think about right now." Daniel walked to the door. "I'll be back in a minute."

Once they'd finished their morning ablutions and had their breakfasts of a cup of warm water, heated over the embers of the fire from the night before, they decided to head out. Daniel brought the horses to the door and helped Jack hop over and then mount his animal. He hadn't been able to find anything for a crutch but didn't figure they really needed it right now – at least as long as they had the horses.

They set out on the trail visible outside the cabin, hopefully headed in the right direction.

"Don't worry Daniel", Jack said. "We're going the right way."

"How can you be so sure?"

Jack looked at him incredulously. Surely the man trusted his sense of direction after all these years.

"I'm sorry", Daniel grinned after seeing Jack's expression. "I know, I know – you know where we're going." It was true, thought Daniel. If there was one thing that Jack was good at it was finding his way – well, anywhere. The man must have a compass and a giant map of the universe in his head, thought Daniel. He always seemed to know where they were and how to get wherever they wanted to go. Teal'c was a slightly better tracker, although Jack was good, but the Colonel had everyone beat when it came to a natural sense of direction.

"Any idea how long until we get to where we're going?" he asked the older man.

"Not really. It depends on the terrain and if the trail continues. We've been forced to move quite a ways away from our original location so it could take a while."

"I hope not too long. I'm starving!"

"Yeah, I could eat a - " He pulled up his horse sharply and stopped. When Daniel went to speak he held up his hand, indicating that he should be quiet.

"There's something ahead", Jack spoke softly.

"Somebody coming?" asked Daniel, equally as softly.

"No. I smell a fire. I think there may be someone camped a mile or two away. Go quietly and slowly – and get ready to run if it's the wrong people." The two friends continued on carefully, keeping their eyes out for any danger.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Samanta, you have to eat something", Alarice held out a plate of food to the woman who continued to sit outside, staring off into nothing.

Sam simply shook her head but didn't answer. She didn't want to eat. In fact, she didn't want to do anything. Even breathing seemed senseless – she just wanted to lie down and close her eyes and never wake up.

As she sat there, still stunned from the news about Jack and Daniel, she knew that she was in shock and that the pain was going to get much much worse, before it got better. The problem was, it was bad enough now.

The last time she remembered feeling like this was when her mother died – and she knew it was going to take a long time before she could begin to move forward and start to live again. She acknowledged to herself that a bit part of her wouldn't live again– the part of her that had died with her friends – one of whom was the man she loved.

So, for now she just wanted to sit here and do nothing, think nothing and remember nothing.

"Samanta", a new voice joined the chorus of those trying to get her to move, to eat, to look after herself. She slowly turned and tried to focus on the face of her friend Maya. "I know it is difficult but you must continue to live. They would want that for you."

Yes, she thought. Both Daniel and Jack would want her to go on and be happy – to make something of the life she had left. But now was not the time. Now was the time to mourn.

"Please", she said softly, "just let me sit here." She turned back and again stared off into the distance. Maya and Alarice looked at each other and sighed. Each of them touched Sam's shoulder gently and left her in peace.

For a while nothing changed. Sam simply sat, trying to not let the pain gain the upper hand. She continued to stare into the distance and for a long while didn't notice – or at least didn't process – the sight of two riders approaching in the distance. It was only as they got closer that she started and sat up straight.

It looked like there were only two of them and they were moving slowly. They didn't look aggressive or like they planned to cause trouble. Maybe they were from Germanicus, she thought briefly, although she didn't care that much.

A tiny piece of her mind wondered at their cautious approach. It almost appeared as if they were worried about what they'd find. Again, she really didn't care and didn't allow herself to consider the matter deeply – she just continued to watch as they neared.

They must be soldiers, she thought, as she saw the horses and their battle armor. As they got closer she could see that they were Alemanni – and were wearing the colors of Germanicus' tribe. They were friends then. Good.

As soon as she realized that they didn't pose a threat she stopped looking at them. Let the others deal with the visitors; she just wanted to sit here and think of nothing.

The 'clip clop' of the horses' hooves grew nearer and soon she could hear the sound of the animals' breathing and their occasional snort. Soon the men would arrive, maybe with news about how things were progressing. Again, she didn't really care.

Jack kept looking at the woman sitting outside the small hunting lodge. She looked ill or old, her shoulders and her head bowed. She was wearing a veil, like most of the women, and Jack wondered if she'd lost a husband or son or father in the war. The other possibility was that she was mourning the loss of the battle. He assumed she must be of the Alemanni – God, what if they'd lost?

"Watch out Daniel", Jack leaned towards his friend. "Things look like they might have gone bad. Keep your eyes out for any soldiers." Daniel nodded and watched carefully, but as yet all he could see was the woman who'd been sitting in front of the house the whole time they'd been approaching.

They eventually reached the house and stopped. Still, the woman didn't look up. Jack glanced at Daniel and raised his eyebrow, worried at the stillness. What if the woman was a decoy to distract them?

He cleared his throat. "Uh – Ma'am- " He'd barely got the word out of his mouth when the woman's head snapped up. Two beautiful blue eyes looked at him in shock and, before he had a chance to do or say anything more, tears began to spill from those same eyes.

"Sam!" he whispered as he stared at the woman in front of him. She didn't move, just sat there, quietly crying.

"Jack", she finally spoke, her voice breaking. "They told me you were dead." The heartbreak in her voice almost broke his own in two. Without thinking he kicked his leg over his horse and jumped to the ground – and promptly landed flat on the ground.

"JACK!", she screamed this time, and ran over to him. Kneeling down she frantically searched to see where he was hurt. When she couldn't find anything she grabbed his face between her hands and began to kiss him wildly. He attempted to speak but each time he opened his mouth she covered it with hers.

All the while this was going on Daniel sat on his horse and grinned. He glanced up and could see a crowd of women standing on the porch of the house, along with Arminius. They too were smiling.

"Saa-am", Jack finally managed to get a word out but again Sam kissed him. As nice as this was, he thought, he was worried about her. He wanted to make sure she was okay – he'd never seen her react like this before. Besides that, his leg and butt were killing him.

"Sam", he tried again. He took her arms and gently tried to push her back. She strained against him and continued to try and kiss him. "SAM!" he said firmly, holding her wrists. Finally she stopped and simply looked at him. She then burst into tears; great gulping sobs that didn't seem to want to stop.

Jack looked up at Daniel in panic, not sure what to do. Daniel smiled and shrugged. Hey, he thought. Jack's been married before – he can handle this one. Anyway, it looked like things were going to be just fine.

It seemed that they were sitting on the ground forever before Sam began to calm down. By this time Jack was feeling seriously sore and stiff and desperately wanted to put his leg up and have something to eat. Of course, he couldn't really complain about having Sam in his arms. Thinking about it, he decided that what he really wanted was all of the above including Carter.

"Sam", he said gently as she seemed to quiet down. "It's okay. Danny and I are just fine. Are you alright?" spoke into her neck as she continued to press up against him. He knew things were going to be okay when he could feel her nod and give a huge 'sniff'.

"Ah Daniel – can you get a Kleenex – or whatever the equivalent is here?" Daniel got down off his horse and went up and opened the door to the house. Soon after Sam's loss of control Maya had herded all the women inside, giving them some privacy.

Daniel returned with a handkerchief and handed it calmly to Jack who proceeded to try and wipe Sam's face which was buried in his shoulder. He then held it to her nose and said, "blow", just like he had to Charlie when he was little.

After she had blown her nose she settled her head back into Jack's neck. She held on to his shirt with a death grip. She was never going to let him go, she said to herself. She was going to hold on to him forever.

"Ah Sam", Jack spoke gently to her after a few minutes. "As much as I like this, I'd also really like to get off the ground. Do you think we can go inside?" Sam didn't look up, she simply shook her head and held on even tighter. Jack looked over to Daniel. 'What do I do?" he mouthed to the younger man. Daniel just smiled and shrugged but finally walked over to the two.

"Sam", he said, kneeling down beside his two friends. "Jack has hurt his knee again and really needs to lie down. We also haven't eaten since yesterday morning and we're hungry. Do you think you could let him up?" Sam sat silently for a moment but finally moved back a couple of inches. She relaxed her hands slightly, although she continued to hold Jack's shirt. Although she'd managed to move back a bit Daniel could tell she was not about to move too far away from Jack.

Damn, he thought, she'd really been traumatized. She'd truly thought they were dead. Poor Sam! The only good thing about this was he figured Jack pretty much didn't have a hope in hell of trying to get them to move back to a professional relationship after this. By the look of Sam she had laid claim to Jack, and wasn't about to let him go – literally or figuratively!

"Sam", he reached out and touched her arm. "We're gonna have to help Jack. He can't walk on his own. Do you understand what I'm saying?" She nodded but still sat there. Daniel sighed and stood.

"I'm going to get Arminius to help, Jack. Just hold on." The Colonel nodded and simply held the woman he loved. He felt terrible for what she'd gone through and knew he was going to have to stay close to her for a while. He smiled slightly at the thought of again being able to sleep with her. His grin widened as he thought about this morning. Unlike his 'rude' awakening earlier today, this was one teammate he wouldn't mind waking up to.

With Arminius and Daniel helping they managed to get Jack into one of the cots in the big house. The whole process was made more difficult by the refusal of Sam to let go, so they had to maneuver around her. It was as they were getting Jack moved that he looked directly at Sam's face.

"Good God", he said loudly. He immediately softened his voice as Sam flinched. He carefully touched her cheek. "What happened to you?' he asked worriedly, seeing her black eye clearly for the first time. She wouldn't answer, just shook her head and put her head back on his chest.

This time he was worried. Maybe her reaction wasn't just to seeing him alive. Maybe something bad had happened to her. As soon as they laid him down on the cot, Sam curled up around him, he looked to where Maya was standing. He motioned her over with his head and tried to ask her, without letting Sam know, what had happened.

"Oh", she answered, as soon as she understood. "You want to know what happened to her face?" He nodded but glared, not wanting her to upset Sam.

Maya immediately understood and spoke to reassure the man. "It is alright. A group of men came by and tried to attack the women but we fought and won. They are tied up waiting for our men to return. Samanta was hit by one of the men and got some bruises but she is fine. None of us were seriously hurt. She is upset because she thought she had lost you, not because of the fight."

He nodded, relieved. Leave it to his Sam to save the women! He knew, without a doubt, that it had been under her leadership that the women had triumphed.

"Hey Sam", he whispered. "You didn't say hi to Daniel." He heard a soft sob and she finally pulled her face up and looked around. As soon as she saw the other man she smiled and tried to speak.

"Hi", she said softly.

"Hi Sam. I'm glad to see you."

"Me too", she answered, her eyes filling up with tears. Giving him another smile she laid her head back on Jack's chest. She reached down and, lifting his shirt at the waist, put her hands underneath until they were resting on his chest, right over his heart. With that she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, a small smile on her face.

Jack simply watched her for a while, his heart nearly bursting with love for this woman. He glanced up briefly to see Daniel looking at both of them, a crooked smile on his face. The other man nodded and turned away, happy at the evidence of the love his friends shared.

O'Neill closed his own eyes then and rested his head on top of the woman he had cared for for so long. Soon he too was asleep.

**_Via Amor - Journey of Love_**


	15. Vestis

_**Vestis – The Blanket**_

_**A short fluffy one today. Angst and adventure to come!**_

He wasn't just hungry, he was ravenous. All he could thing about right now was a big juicy hamburger, or pizza or Chinese. Hell, even a bowl of _vegetables_ sounded good! He heard a soft noise and glanced down and the thought of food flew right out of his head. He smiled as he looked again at the bruised and battered face pressed against his chest. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

He'd woken up to find Sam still plastered against him. She was lying on top of him with her hands still under his shirt and her legs wrapped around him. He was feeling quite squished – and couldn't have cared less!

He glanced at her again and frowned. He was still amazed, and slightly shocked, at her reaction when he and Daniel had arrived. He'd never seen Sam quite so out of control as she had been then. He could only imagine how awful it must have been for her when she was told they were dead. No, on second thought, he didn't have to imagine. He'd been through that pain himself and knew there was nothing worse. Really, it wasn't surprising she'd reacted the way she had. In fact, it had been quite endearing, he thought, smiling gently.

He glanced around the room and saw a number of the women working and talking. There were kids running in and out around their mothers, and in the corner he saw Daniel sitting at a table talking to Arminius. It appeared that everyone was ignoring the small cot on which he and Sam were lying.

But he was still hungry, he realized. That and he needed to pee. Having Sam lying on top of him wasn't helping with that either. He hated to wake her up but knew he was going to have to any second now. He idly wondered how long he'd been asleep.

She woke up to a strange gurgling noise. Her eyes closed, she tried to place what it was. The next thing she was aware of was that her head was lying on top of something warm – something that was moving rhythmically up and down. She slowly opened her eyes, trying to remember what had happened and where she was. As her eyes focused she could see a dirty, blood-covered (but fortunately dry) shirt under her face. She could also hear a steady heartbeat under her ear.

She slowly lifted her head and looked up – straight into the face of one Colonel Jack O'Neill.

"Hi", he smiled. "Have a good sleep?"

Oh dear God – she had fallen asleep on top of him. Suddenly she remembered all that had happened, and how she'd ended up here. She was mortified when she remembered her frantic crying and her refusal to let Jack go. She vaguely remembered Daniel talking about the fact that Jack was hurt and needed to lie down but it was all quite hazy. All she remembered was that she had been determined to never let him go again. She had to hold on to him or risk losing him.

"Hi", she finally answered. She heard that noise again and looked down and then back up at Jack.

"Sorry – I'm kinda hungry."

That was it! She began to grin. Jack's stomach was growling. She knew she should move, should get off him and let him eat, but instead she put her head back down on his chest and sighed. No, she really didn't want to move. She liked it here.

"Sam?" he asked tentatively. He was a little worried at her lack of response.

"Hmmmm?" she answered.

"Ah, are _you_ hungry?" he asked hopefully.

"No", she answered softly. Only for him.

"Well, do you think we could maybe – ah – get up so I could eat?"

"Mmmmm".

Okay, that was a rather noncommittal answer, he thought.

"Sam?"

"Mmmmm?" she said again. Was he ever going to get her to speak again?

"I really do have to get up. I don't want to disturb you but -"

She sighed, quite put out by the fact that he wasn't going to simply let her stay where she was. It was unfair, really. This was where she belonged. Still, she'd better get up or she'd never hear the end of it.

"Okay", she sighed again, and slowly pushed herself up using her arms. It lifted her chest off of him and left them only connected from the waist down. That was nice, she realized. No, it was more than nice. She pushed herself into him a bit more and noticed his eyes dilate and his breathing speed up.

"Sam? What are you doing?" he asked, a bit breathlessly.

"Mmmmm?" she looked a bit puzzled but then smiled and started to wiggle her hips a bit. He reached around and grabbed her waist desperately, holding tight to stop her movements.

"Sam, much as I'd like this in other circumstances, I think you'd better stop. We're kind of in a room full of people, kids included."

She stopped and frowned. She then sighed and glanced around. He was right – there were people here. Why were there people in the room when all she wanted was to be alone with the Colonel? It wasn't fair – she finally had him …. she froze and looked at him, her eyes getting bigger. What the hell was she doing? It was the _Colonel_!

She yelped and immediately rolled off of him, almost falling onto the floor in the process. Jack quickly grabbed a blanket and pulled it over him. Her little antics had made his present state a little embarrassing.

"I'm sorry Sir!" she gasped, refusing to look at him from where she stood at the side of the bed. She went to move away when he reached out and grasped her arm.

"Hey, where ya going Sam?" he asked gently. The tone of his voice caused her to look down and meet his eyes. The look he gave her caused her knees to weaken.

"Uh, I – you – we"

"Yes? I, you, we what?"

"You're hungry", she answered, as if that explained everything.

"Yeah, I am. You must be too. Wanna have lunch with me?" he asked with a smile. She peeked at him again and then gave a small nod. She couldn't ever remember feeling quite this – unsettled before. Usually she felt pretty in-control of things but right now it was as if her world had tilted upside down.

"Uh – sure", she answered quietly.

"Hey – Jack, Sam – you're awake!" Daniel's voice interrupted the stilted conversation. He walked over to the little cot. "I was just about to check on you guys – I was worried you were going to sleep the rest of _today_ too."

"How long were we asleep?" asked Jack, surprised.

"Since yesterday afternoon. It's almost lunchtime. You slept for over 18 hours."

"Wow, I guess we were – tired" answered Jack, sneaking a glance at Sam. Her eyes were hooded and again she refused to look at him. He sighed – this was going to be tough.

"So, is there anything to eat?" he asked Daniel.

"Yeah, there's some meat and bread and cheese. We put it aside for you since I figured you'd be hungry." He turned to get it when Jack's voice stopped him.

"Daniel. The battle?"

His friend and comrade turned to look at him and smiled. "We won. The Adrano have been routed and are fleeing back to the city. We've taken a lot of prisoners and Germanicus and Atta are still getting things cleaned up."

"Good" O'Neill replied, although he didn't smile. He knew what a toll the battle would have taken on both sides. "Casualties?" he asked.

Daniel's expression changed and he looked serious. "Quite a few I think. Besides the battle itself a lot of men were lost in the avalanche – from both sides. We were lucky."

"Yeah, that we were." He looked down at Sam who was now sitting stiffly on the side of the cot. He was pretty sure she was still dealing with the reaction of their supposed death.

"I'll get your lunch now." Daniel reached down and touched Sam on the arm. "Did you want something too?" he asked. She lifted her head at that and nodded, a small smile on her face.

Finally she turned and looked at him. "How are you Sir?" she asked, suddenly all professional. Damned if he was going to let her get away with that.

"Sam", he said forcefully, "look at me." She glanced up but only briefly, so he took her chin in his hand and lifted her face. "Please, look at me?" he entreated softly. She finally lifted her eyes to his. He could see that she was frightened – and embarrassed. As much as he hated having to do this kind of thing, especially surrounded by a room full of people, he knew he couldn't let this go or they'd be back to square one.

The problem was that right at that moment his bladder demanded that he give it immediate attention. "Look, we're gonna go outside in a minute and talk, okay? Right now I need to make a little trip and then we're going to have lunch." She made an odd, jerky movement with her head. He assumed it was one of agreement. "In the meantime, just relax okay? Everything is going to be fine."

"Daniel", he said when the man returned carrying two plates of food. "I need to uh –" he gestured outside with his head.

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Daniel set the plates down and walked away, returning a few minutes later with a pair of homemade crutches. "Here, I made these today. They're not perfect but they should help."

"Thanks Danny", he replied. Taking them he managed to make it to his feet and then outside to the little outhouse. With a huge sigh of relief he finished and then hobbled back in to the house.

Sam was eating the meal like she had been starving for weeks. He couldn't help but snicker, seeing her look of ecstasy as she ripped off a piece of bread and ate it voraciously.

"Hungry Carter?" he asked as he leaned the crutches against the wall and hopped the couple of feet to the cot.

"Mrmph" she answered, her mouth full. He didn't think he'd ever heard her quite as incoherent as today. He grinned again and grabbed his plate. Soon he was eating as intently as she was. God, had a piece of cheese ever tasted so good?

"So, you guys hungry?" Daniel smirked. He had pulled up a chair and was watching his teammates. With a gleam in his eye he turned to Jack. "You're looking much warmer Jack. The – _sleep_ – did you some good – especially with that nice warm blanket."

Both Jack and Sam stopped eating, frozen in the middle of a chew, and stared at Daniel. He wanted to laugh at the 'deer in the headlights' look he was getting from both of them.

"Jackson!" O'Neill said in warning.

"What? I was worried about you – about how cold you were. But it looks like you've warmed up considerably." He grinned at his friends, knowing that Jack at least wouldn't miss the double meaning behind his words.

"Cold?" Sam looked back and forth between the men. "Why were you cold?" she asked, worried.

"Jack was buried in the snow for quite a while. By the time I got him out he was soaked and freezing and then we had to ride for hours. He got a nice case of hypothermia out of it."

She turned and looked accusingly at him and reached out and put her hand on his forehead.

"Hey, I'm fine!"

"Why didn't you say something Sir?" she asked, a frown on her face.

"Well, I didn't exactly have a chance!" he said, defending himself. He could see her sudden look of discomfort and wanted to wrap his arms around her. God, she was – adorable.

"But you weren't too bad when you got here?" she asked, suddenly puzzled.

"No, we managed to warm him up before we got back."

"How?" she asked, still looking in concern at the Colonel. The sudden dead silence surprised her and she looked back and forth between the two men. She was almost sure she could see them blushing, which confused her.

"Ah, we found a cabin and there was a fire – oh, and Daniel found blankets. Lots and lots of blankets."

"Yes, that's right. There were blankets. Lots of them. And a fire – a nice, toasty" he suddenly choked.

"Oh", she answered, her eyes still moving curiously between the two men. She knew they were hiding something, but what she couldn't tell. "Okay. Well, you seem okay now Sir. I think your temperature is back to normal."

"See, what did I say – it was that blanket!" Daniel grinned as two red faces turned and glared at him. He stood up. "I'm gonna go for a walk. I've been stuck in here all day and I need some fresh air. Arminius tells me Germanicus is expected tomorrow and we can probably start heading back."

"Thanks Daniel", Jack nodded at the now empty plate. "And for the crutches. At least I can get around now."

He watched as his friend left the small house. The woman beside him was still and silent. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Now was the time!

"Wanna come outside for some fresh air Sam?" he asked casually.

"Uh, I should probably help with the -"

"I think they have plenty of help Carter", he said in frustration. "Come on, you can keep me from falling on my – butt!" He stood but before he had time to hobble to his crutches she had rushed over and gotten them. Coming back she handed them to him. He could see that she was back to the 'staring at the floor' routine. Damn, he was going to have to start this conversation, which was a pretty scary thought for Colonel 'doesn't like to talk about emotions' O'Neill.

"Come on, let's get out of here. There are too many women and kids around." He turned and slowly made his way to the door. The space wasn't exactly conducive to walking with crutches.

They walked outside to a cool but bright spring day. He took a deep breath of fresh air and could feel some of the tension and aches and pains seep away. He glanced down and saw that Sam was looking a little more relaxed as well. He glanced around and saw a large rock by the stream just behind the house. Nobody seemed to be around at that moment.

"Shall we?" he gestured. She nodded and walked beside him as he made his slow and ungainly way over.

Sitting down he stretched his aching leg in front of him and patted the rock beside him. "Sit down", he said gently. She sat and for a long while they simply watched the water as it skipped over the rocks in the small stream.

"So", he finally said quietly. "It looks like things are finally working out." She didn't answer and he groaned inwardly. How the hell to start this conversation?

"I'm sorry you thought we'd been killed", he went on. "I know how awful that must have felt."

"Do you?" she asked softly.

"Yeah" he answered, as softly. She sat for a minute and then suddenly sat up and turned to him.

"Oh", she put her hand to her mouth. "I didn't mean it that way Colonel. I know you know." She couldn't believe she'd said that to _him_ of all people. "I just meant – "

"It's okay Sam." He turned fully towards her and reached and took her hands in his. "Look, if I'd thought you'd been killed I would have reacted exactly the same way. I – I couldn't stand the thought of losing you." She raised her eyes to his – finally – and watched him as he spoke. "I'd want to die Sam – so yes, I know how you felt."

"But you wouldn't have made such a fool of yourself if it turned out it was a mistake." She answered bitterly.

"A fool?" he repeated incredulously. "You didn't make a fool of yourself. God woman, don't you know that what you did – the way you greeted me – was, was _wonderful._ Every soldier – hell, every man – dreams of having a woman waiting for him and welcoming him back like that."

"Like a mad woman? Sir, I wouldn't even let Daniel or the others help you. I kept you on the ground for – forever and you were hurt. And then I simply _squashed_ you all night!"

"Carter, I wasn't hurt that badly and they did get me to bed. And you are welcome to _squash_ me any time you like! Daniel was right you know." She looked at him quizzically. "You are the world's best blanket!"

She blushed but he could also see her begin to relax.

"If it hadn't been for being hungry and – well, I would have happily stayed there forever!"

"Really?" she asked quietly.

"Really Sam. Don't you know what you mean to me? I know I'm not the best ca - " She covered his mouth with her hand.

"Jack, don't you know that every woman – hell, every woman _soldier_ – dreams of a man like you waiting for her? Don't disparage yourself. You're a pretty special guy, you know."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah."

"Sweet", he grinned impishly. Slowly his grin faded as he looked down at the woman next to him. This time the fear and embarrassment were gone from her face.

"What about the regulations?" she asked quietly. So, they were finally going to talk about it were they? He gave a crooked grin.

"I think it's time we forgot about them Sam. I think we're pretty much here to stay." He looked around at the scenery and at the few people he could see walking around. They were giving them space, for which he was grateful. "I think we can call this home now and I'd like -" He closed his eyes briefly and then gazed at her questioningly.

"Yes", she answered simply.

"Yes?" he cocked his head sideways. He wasn't quite sure that he'd even asked her anything.

"Yes, I'd like to share this new life and new world with you – if you want me?"

"Want you?" he asked incredulously. "God, I wouldn't want it _without_ you." They peered at each other intently, not quite sure what to do next.

"So" she said.

"So?" he asked.

"I guess the regs are out."

"Yeah", he slowly grinned – that grin she saw so rarely, but which meant he was up to something! He leaned forward. "The regs are _definitely_ out." With that he leaned forward and gently touched his lips to hers.

The kiss was slow and gentle, not like the kiss she had given him yesterday in her fear and relief. This time it was a kiss of promise and hope for tomorrow. It was soft and sweet and full of tenderness. Underlying it there was passion, but it was a passion restrained –for another time and another place – but the promise of that was there also.

He pulled back and smiled at her. He then settled in beside Sam, holding her close, and looked at the world around him. It felt like home.


	16. Risus Ut Lacrima

_**Sorry folks, I know these chapters are a bit shorter – but I have to break where it feels right. I am going to be doing regular updates though. No traveling for a while.**_

"Well, you could be a pig farmer."

"A _pig_ farmer? Why the hell would I want to do that?" Jack asked indignantly. He and Daniel were sitting outside discussing what they were going to do now that this planet was their home.

"Hey, you can make a good living being a pig farmer. At least that's what Arminius tells me. All you need is a little capital and a pair of pigs and you're off and running. Meat is worth a lot here."

"No thanks Daniel. I think I'll pass."

"Okay, so what _would_ you like to do?"

"Oh, I don't know. I'll have to think about it." He stared dejectedly down at his leg. It was pretty much finished, he figured, which would keep him from doing anything too active.

"You could teach", Daniel suggested.

"_Teach?_ Teach what? You and Sam are the geeks, not me."

"Why thanks Jack! What about teaching them military tactics and weaponry and that sort of stuff? They certainly need it. I don't expect this is the end to the war."

"No", Jack sighed, "I expect it'll go on for years." He sat pondering Daniel's suggestion for a few minutes but finally turned to the younger man. "I'm kinda tired of war Daniel. If we're going to start a new life here I'd think I'd like to try my hand at something different. I was thinking - ", he stopped, rather embarrassed.

"What?"

"Well, I was thinking maybe I'd raise horses. Atta asked me to partner with him. I kinda think I'd like that."

Daniel looked at his friend and nodded slightly. "Yeah, I can see that. I think it would be great. Cowboy Jack! It has a ring to it."

Jack grinned. "It does kind of, doesn't it? I actually used to call myself that as a kid. I was totally into 'Cowboys and Indians'."

Laughing, Daniel slapped his friend on the back. "Doesn't surprise me in the least."

"So Daniel, what about you?" Jack asked, although he figured he pretty much knew.

"Oh, they've asked me to establish a school. Very few of the Alemanni know how to read or write – and they don't have any historians. I think Germanicus sees education as a way of improving his people."

"He's pretty forward thinking for his time."

"Yeah, thank heavens. Just imagine if we'd ended up with one of the other tribes?" They both sat there thinking about some of the tribesmen they'd met before the battle. Many of them were a pretty barbarous lot.

"So Jack – what about Sam?" Daniel asked casually. He wasn't looking at his friend, but was curious as to what they'd decided. He had seen the kiss by the stream so figured everything was good but neither of them was giving anything away.

"Sam? Oh, I think she's determined to start a woman's movement. After their battle in the cabin the women have discovered their own 'power' according to her."

"Really? I wouldn't put it past her but she'd better be careful. If history has shown anything it's that the early women suffragettes experienced a lot of persecution."

"I know and so does she. I think she'll be pretty careful about it!"

"And what about -?", Daniel paused, unsure whether to continue.

"What about _what_?" Jack turned and looked at him.

"You know – what about you two", Daniel waved his hand at Jack.

"Us two?"

"Yes Jack – come on, you know what I mean!"

Jack simply grinned and then shrugged, which didn't tell Daniel much of anything. Narrowing his eyes at his friend he had the sneaky suspicion that the man was pulling his leg.

"Jaaaaack!" he said warningly.

"What Daniel."

"Spill!"

"Spill?"

"Yes – tell me what's going on or I'll have to tell Sam about you cuddling with me."

"Hey, no fair Daniel. You said you wouldn't say anything. And anyway – you're the one who stripped me and climbed into bed with me!"

"He _what?_"

Damn! Neither of them had seen Sam walk up behind them. She was becoming much too much like him – very tricky.

"Carter!" He turned around and smiled, pouring every ounce of innocence he had left into his expression.

"Sam!" Daniel too looked disgustingly ingenious.

"Okay – tell!"

"Tell?" they both asked simultaneously.

"Yup – I want to know why Daniel stripped you and got in bed with you Colonel." She looked at them seriously, desperately trying not to laugh at their sudden panicked expressions.

"Uh – you tell her Daniel. I was unconscious."

"Hey, don't make me take the blame. You're the one who hugged me and snuffled my neck."

"Snuffled?" asked Sam, holding back tears of laughter.

"Yeah – snuffled! It was pretty terrifying, let me tell you." Daniel looked extremely pained.

"Well, how the hell was I to know it was you? I don't go around sleeping with men. I thought you were - " He stopped dead and his eyes grew big. Oops, he'd better not go there.

"You thought it was – _who_ Jack?" Daniel asked in a sugary, innocent – _evil_ voice.

I'm gonna get you Jackson, thought Jack. He –

"Guys, guys", Sam interrupted his thoughts but he still turned his glare on the archaeologist. "Just tell me what this is all about." She suddenly took on an expression of concern – and realization. "Oh – I'm sorry – you probably didn't want me to know." They turned and looked at her in confusion. "You know; _Don't ask, Don't tell_. Well, you don't need to worry – I won't tell anyone." With a wobbly smile she turned and started walking back to the house. She wasn't going to laugh, no she wasn't. Their expressions of shock were just too priceless!

"No, wait – come back Sam!" Jack called after her. He couldn't move fast enough to stop her. God, he didn't want her to think - "

"Sam! Don't go." Daniel added to his shout but he stood up and looked as if he were going to follow her.

Sam stopped and took a deep breath. Don't laugh Sam, she told herself again. Slowly she turned around, putting on a face of extreme sorrow. She walked back to the two men.

"Don't worry Colonel", she said softly. "I understand. I know that I was just a diversion – Daniel is your true love. I won't interfere. I'd never want to come between a man and his – man." She looked at Daniel. "And I won't try and steal the Colonel away from you. He's a good person Daniel – and he's yours." She let out a small choke. From their faces the men must have thought she was trying not to cry when in reality she was ready to burst into hysterical laughter.

"Sam no! You've got it all wrong", the Colonel said frantically. "There's nothing – Daniel's just – he was simply trying to save my life, that's all!" He rubbed his hands through his hair. What had just happened, he wondered. Sam was ready to give him up for _Daniel?_ God!

"He's right Sam", the younger man said frantically. "It was the hypothermia. I was afraid he was going to die. We just needed to share body heat and he didn't know it was me – he thought it was- " Jack's cough stopped him "uh, he thought it was – not me. That's all. Really."

"Really?" She looked between the two men. "I don't know Sir", she said. "I'm afraid it's too late. I see the looks that you give each other. I've known for a long time there's something more than just friendship between you." The two men looked at each other, horrified. Unconsciously they both edged away from each other. "I'm - I'm afraid it's all over Jack! I can't be second best." She put her head in her hands and started to sob.

The Colonel looked on in horror, not knowing what to do. He wanted to go to her, to hold her – but after her words he didn't think she'd want him. He looked over at his friend, and threw his hands up in a question – what could they do? Just then there was another sob and that decided him. He stood up and hobbled over to Sam. Taking her arms he pulled them away from her face to try and talk to her, to convince her that she was mistaken.

What he saw shocked him. Carter was in hysterics all right – but not crying – she was _laughing_ for God's sake! The witch had been pulling their legs the whole time.

"Oh Jack", she sobbed, "Daniel – if you could only have seen your faces!" She howled again, barely able to breathe. "God, I so wish I had a camera!" She bent over, her breath coming in great gasping sobs.

"Samantha Carter!" Jack said angrily. "I can't believe you did that!" She looked at him then and went off into more peals of laughter. "Daniel, she's lost it."

"I think you're right." Daniel was shaking his head in disgust, but also in admiration. She'd really gotten them. "You realize of course we're going to have to get her back for this?"

"Oh yeah! Don't you worry, revenge will be sweet." Jack looked again at the woman he loved who had, by this time, dropped to the ground, weak from laughter. She was quite something, he decided. He couldn't help but start to grin. He just realized something. He'd met his perfect match!

"Kind of reminds me of you Jack", Daniel said, echoing his thoughts. He looked at his two friends and shook his head. God – now he was going to be stuck with two O'Neill's – was the planet big enough?

"I don't know about you Daniel, but I'm feeling rather hungry." Jack turned to his friend.

"Yes, me too Jack. Would you like to join me for dinner?"

"Yes, that would be lovely." Jack reached out and took Daniel's arm. The two of them began to walk away, Jack using one crutch and letting Daniel support him on the other side. "Have I told you how much I like that color on you Daniel?" He said as they walked. "It really brings out your eyes."

"No, really Jack?" he slapped Jack's arm playfully. "I'm so glad – I was thinking of you when I bought it." They walked away as Sam continued to watch, shaking her head and laughing.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Teal'c knew he was getting closer when he began to meet returning soldiers. Many were wounded and others were just fleeing the scene of the Adrano defeat. He knew he had to be very careful for many of the men looked dangerous.

Fortunately he had hired a wagon with a number of outriders for his journey. He'd been told that the fastest way to get to Germanicus' lands was by horse. Taking one look at one of the beasts he had decided it was not for him. He knew that O'Neill loved the animals and was a good rider. He, however, was a Jaffa – so he walked or rode in vehicles.

It had also been recommended to him that he take added protection. One man alone, even a fierce warrior such as he, was vulnerable. He agreed, especially since he was on a strange world.

He had been pleased when he found out that the Alemanni were victorious, but knew that was no guarantee that his friends were safe. By all reports there had been heavy casualties on both sides.

He had debated, at one point, whether he should go and get his ship and simply fly to the Allemani lands. He had changed his mind, however, not knowing if there would be a safe place to land it – or hide it. There were just too many people around.

As he had traveled he couldn't help but think of his teammates. He was hopeful of finding Daniel Jackson and Major Carter – less so of finding O'Neill. While he knew that the man was strong – and could get out of seemingly impossible situations, he didn't know if he had this time. It had sounded bad, with little or no way out.

The thought of O'Neill dying, chained to a ship, was horrifying. His friend should die in battle or, and this was preferable, as a very old man in his cottage in Minnesota. To die a slave was the worst fate Teal'c could think of.

Three days after he'd set out on his journey they arrived at what he was told was Germanicus' village and home. It looked deserted, which wasn't surprising. What was surprising was the fact that it was still standing. The Adrano army must not have come this way or they would have burnt it to the ground, thought Teal'c. As it was it looked to be unharmed.

As he drew closer he could see two men who'd clearly just arrived on horseback. He directed the driver of his wagon to head towards them.

"Who are you?" shouted the younger of the two men. He walked slowly over to the wagon.

"My name is Teal'c", he said, bowing his head. "I come in search of friends."

"Friends?" the man asked in surprise. "This is an odd time for that. We have just fought a battle. Were your friends in the army?"

"I do not believe so", he said. "They were slaves who escaped to these lands. I was told they fled to the home of Germanicus."

"Well, these are his lands and this is his house", the man replied. "He is my prince. I know that many slaves have escaped and come to him for refuge but there is no one here now. I was sent ahead to make sure everything here was still standing."

"Is he here?"

"Who? My prince?" The man looked at him suspiciously. "He is not." He turned away.

"Can you take me to him?" Teal'c asked. The man turned back around. He considered the large man for a moment. He wished he knew what to do but he was a lowly page – not used to making decisions. Finally, knowing that Germanicus might want to see this man, he turned fully and spoke to him.

"You may come with me – but you have to leave your wagon and men here. I will take only you."

"That is acceptable." He spoke to the men with him. Giving them the payment they demanded he watched as they turned to head back to Adrano. He then walked up to the young man. "I am ready to accompany you."

"I guess you'll need a horse." the page said. He turned to his companion. "This man needs to see Germanicus. Give him your horse. You can stay here and wait."

The other man complained but eventually brought his animal over to Teal'c, who eyed it disdainfully. He really didn't want to have to ride the beast.

"Let's go. I have to move quickly." He turned and spoke to the man on the ground. "I am to go to see the women first", he said "and then we will ride to Germanicus. Watch things here and we should be back tomorrow." The other man nodded.

Just as they were ready to leave the man on the horse turned to Teal'c. "You'll have to give me your weapons." He said. Teal'c raised an eyebrow but didn't move.

"I won't take you to the prince as long as you are armed. You could try and hurt him." Teal'c finally nodded. The young man was wise. He would have done the same thing. Of course, thought Teal'c as he handed over his visible weapons, he would have been wiser to search me. Teal'c felt the concealed dagger in the waist of his pants – and the knife that was sheathed on the inside of his boot. Even they didn't matter, however. If he truly wanted to kill Germanicus he could do it with his bare hands.

"How long until we arrive?" he asked the young man – who looked extremely nervous.

"Uh, we should get there tomorrow. We will stay overnight at the hunting lodge and head out in the morning. It's not too far", he added. He then looked even more frightened, wondering if he was giving too much away.

As they grew nearer Teal'c could feel himself getting more and more nervous. It was not a feeling he was used to, and one that he didn't like. He just didn't know what he would find. SG1 was his family. These Tauri had become important to him in so many ways and he couldn't contemplate what it would mean to lose them. No, he told himself, they were fine. They had to be.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"I'm sorry guys", Sam came and sat beside the two men who were eating supper at the table. Daniel glanced at her but Jack just kept eating.

"Did you hear something Daniel?", he asked.

"Uh - " the younger man started to speak when Jack interrupted him.

"Good. I wouldn't want anything to disturb our time together." He reached out and took the other man's hand. Daniel just about choked and looked panicked. He glanced at Sam and saw a calculating look in her eyes. Damn, he didn't want to get in the middle of this.

"Uh – Jack."

"Yes Daniel?" the older man said in a sultry voice.

"Can I have my hand back?"

"Why Daniel? Don't you want me to hold it?"

"No!" He pulled his hand sharply away. "I think the two of you need to get a room or something!" he said in disgust. "You're getting way too creepy." Jack began to grin and glanced over at Carter – who was looking rather flushed.

"Daniel!" she squeaked.

"Yeah what? The two of you are going around kissing and panting over each other – and then you Sam – usually the sane one - pull a complete Jack O'Neill. You know what? There's waaaay too much tension between the two of you and it's making you do – weird things. You need to just go and – release it!" He stood up and looked down at his two friends. "I'm happy for you – really I am. But please – just go and have sex or something and leave me out of it!" He picked up his half finished lunch and walked away.

Sam looked up from under half-closed eyes at the man across the table. He had a slightly stunned expression on his face, which slowly changed to one of interest. Finally, he began to look quite – determined. Her eyes grew wide. What was he going to do?

"You know what Sam?"

"What?", she asked breathlessly.

"I think Daniel has a point."

"Really?" Was that her voice – it sounded way too high?

"Yeah, I think we need to deal with this 'tension'."

"Oh"

"What do you think Carter?" he asked wickedly. He loved the alarmed look on her face.

"Well – ah - "

"Yup – gotta do something about it." He stood up and grabbed the one crutch. With his other hand he reached down and pulled Sam up. "Let's go."

"Go?" she squeaked again. "Go where?"

"To relieve some tension."

"But Sir – I mean Jack – uh – now? _Where?_"

"Yes now. And as to where - well, there's a lot of grass out there."

Her eyes grew big. He wanted them to go outside and make love in the middle of the day, in _public_? She tried to pull her hand away. "I – I don't think that's a good idea Sir", she replied.

"Why not?" he frowned at her. "I thought you – _cared_ – for me Carter?" he asked in a sad voice.

"Of course I do Jack. I just – I don't – I _can't_!"

"Can't what?" he asked, puzzled.

"Relieve tension – outside."

"Oh, okay. Then let's find someplace inside. Isn't there a little shed in the back? That should work."

"_**Jack!**_"

"What is it Sam? What's wrong?" She finally managed to pull her hand away and look at him.

"I don't want to do this this way. I want it to be special and not – not just to relieve tension!" She almost stamped her foot and glared at him.

"Oh", he looked surprised. "Well then", he paused. "maybe I'd better find Danny. I've got all this tension and _he_ let me _snuffle_ with him."

The silence was complete. He glanced at Sam and saw that her face was frozen. It took her a second but, when he saw her eyes grow big, he realized that she got it.

"Ow", he cried as she reached out and punched his arm. "Whatcha do that for?"

"For scaring me!"

"Hey – tit for tat my girl. You scared the pants right off of me!"

"So, this was revenge?" She asked.

"You bet your sweet patootie it was! And you deserved it!"

She again stared at him and then began to grin. In a second he had followed suit. Soon they were holding each other, laughing. "Oh", she said. "You're good. You really had me thinking you wanted to have sex in the grass."

Jack pulled back and looked at her with an evil lift of his brow. "But Sam. I _do_. That was no joke." He pulled her to him again and rested his head on hers. "But not with dozens of people around. We'll wait until we're alone." He hoped he hadn't gone too far in saying that. They hadn't gotten around to talking about taking their relationship to the next level yet. He breathed a sigh of relief at her next words.

"Okay", she said softly. There was a pause and then she spoke again. "Jack?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"How do we get rid of dozens of people?"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was early evening and they'd just finished the evening meal. Germanicus was supposed to show up tomorrow and the word was they were going to head back to the village and house. They all feared that there'd be nothing left. They were pretty sure the Adrano would have destroyed everything. At least it was early spring. They'd have time to rebuild before the next winter.

The three members of SG1 – and now new 'Alemanni' were sitting together on the long wooden bench in front of the house, Sam in between the two men. It had been a good day in many ways. Daniel stole glances at his friends. They both looked happy and relaxed, something he rarely saw on either of their faces. He was pleased for them although he knew it wasn't going to be all sweetness and light. He expected they all had some hard times ahead adjusting to their new life.

As for him – well, he wasn't quite sure what he felt. As happy as he was for Sam and Jack, he was also feeling a bit lonely. He felt like the odd man out, even though both of his friends would feel terrible if they knew how he was feeling. He realized he would need to find someone of his own and settle down. Sha're was very much in the past now, even though he'd always love her. No, it was time to fine a new wife. He glanced around at the women here. Many of them were probably widows now, even though they didn't know it yet. Not that he wanted to meet someone still grieving a lost husband or lover – but he knew that there would be many from whom to chose. He just prayed he could find someone half as loving as his Sha're.

"Some riders coming", Jack said quietly. He was enjoying sitting with his friends and the beautiful spring evening. He felt at peace, for once, and was actually looking forward to his new life with Sam.

"I wonder who they are?" asked Sam. Not that she cared that much. She smiled to herself, remembering similar thoughts the day that Jack and Daniel had arrived. Of course this time she wasn't destroyed by grief.

"Could be someone coming from Germanicus." Daniel added. They continued to watch as the two riders approached.

"One of the guys doesn't look like he knows how to ride", mentioned Jack. The man looked like he was half falling off the horse.

"Ouch – pretty painful if he's come from a long way away", added Daniel.

"Jack!", Sam sat up straight, staring at the second rider.

"What?" he asked, unconcerned.

"That rider - "

"What about him?"

"I think", she stopped and tried to focus her eyes. "I think that's - ", again she stopped. By this time Daniel too was leaning forward.

"Oh my God Jack", he said softly. "That's -"

"Teal'c!" Jack interrupted as he stood. He looked in wonder at the fourth member of his team who was riding to the rescue on a horse – which he could barely ride. His first reaction was one of delight – swiftly followed by despair. Hell, he thought! There goes his new life.

"TEAL'C!" Sam screamed. She stood up and began to wave her arms wildly, a big grin on her face.

Jack turned and looked at her as she watched their friend arrive. The look of joy – and relief – on her face stunned him. Oh God – she was relieved, he thought. She wanted this – she wanted to go home. She really didn't want a life here with him. His world crumbled.

_**Risus ut Lacrima – laughter to tears**_


	17. Reverto Ut Adrano

He was never going to ride a horse again! Not only was his mitka killing him, he was sure his dignity was damaged beyond repair. He was also sure he wasn't going to be able to walk for a long time after this journey.

Many years ago O'Neill had told him about the wonders of riding a horse. He now knew that his brother's words were no more truthful than his description of the joys of fishing. No, O'Neill did not understand what things were good – at least for a Jaffa.

They'd been traveling for many hours before his young companion sat up and became alert. They must be coming to their first destination, he decided. He was pleased. He needed to get off of this animal.

"We'll be there soon", the younger man confirmed his suspicions. He simply nodded, trying to look relaxed and calm, even though he was on edge and nervous about finding his friends.

The sun was just going down when he saw the hunting lodge in the distance. Things looked quiet although every once in a while he would see the shape of someone walking between buildings. As they grew closer he could also see the figures of three people sitting outside. They were not moving so he did not think they posed a threat.

He knew, from the discussion before they'd left to come here, that they were stopping to see the women first. What that meant he wasn't quite sure and his companion hadn't seen fit to share any details with him.

It was as they grew nearer that he began to have a strange feeling. He wasn't quite sure what it was. It did not feel like danger, but he felt a strange tingling feeling throughout his bones. Shaking his head, he decided it must simply be his body reacting to the continual bouncing of the horse.

For some reason he was suddenly drawn to look closely at the three people sitting on the bench. They looked – oddly familiar. He began to speed up but his 'guide' reached out and grabbed the reins.

"No you don't. You will wait for me." The young man was still frightened he'd made a huge mistake by bringing the big man with him.

"Do not worry", Teal'c replied. "I will accompany you." He spoke without looking at the man by his side. Instead, he eyes were focused forward.

He sucked in air suddenly and pulled the reins until his horse shied and then stopped. It was Daniel Jackson, he was sure of it! He kicked the horse, wanting to get there as quickly as possible but knowing he couldn't move too quickly and panic his companion.

He stared at Daniel, paying little attention to the other two until the movement of the woman, as she got to her feet, drew his eyes. She was wearing traditional clothing and a veil covered her hair, but he was almost positive it was Major Carter. He could tell by the way she stood. Although always feminine, Samantha Carter had a way of standing that showed her strength as a warrior. It was unusual for a woman.

"Teal'c!" He heard that voice and again stopped. It couldn't be! He looked at the third man and felt a surge of joy. It was indeed O'Neill! He had found them – his team – and they were all alive and seemingly well.

"They know you?" the young man asked.

"Yes. They are my friends. They are why I traveled here."

"You know O'Neo?" the man asked in awe.

"O'Neo?" Teal'c looked at him, impatient and wanting to ride ahead. "Yes – I call him O'Neill – he is my friend and brother."

"Then go – he is a hero!"

Teal'c looked at the other man and nodded, not surprised to hear that. Yes, O'Neill was a hero – whether on earth or on the other side of the galaxy. Without further hesitation he touched the horse with his heel, urging it forward.

Jack, Daniel and Sam all watched in wonder as Teal'c – their friend, their comrade, their brother – and the universe's most dignified man – came _bouncing_ towards them, tilting precariously and seeming to move in the opposite direction of the horse.

"Do you think he'll make it?" Daniel said to Jack.

"It'll be close", O'Neill answered, wincing in sympathy as he saw Teal'c's – backside – connect with a loud slap to the saddle. "He's not going to be able to walk for a week!"

After the initial distress of seeing Sam's reaction, and his own less than joyful realization of what Teal'c's arrival would mean, Jack settled down and allowed himself to be happy to see his friend. How could he feel anything but grateful to this man who had clearly traversed light-years in his search for his team?

Teal'c finally arrived, an actual smile on his face (and some pain). He attempted to jump down from the saddle but his heel caught and he ended up doing an ungainly drop to the ground

"Teal'c!" Daniel hurried over to give his friend a hand. The poor man was clearly trying to maintain his renowned dignity and he immediately stood up and bowed his head at his young friend. Then, without a pause he let a huge smile appear on his face and wrapped his arms around the archaeologist.

"Daniel Jackson", he boomed, "it is good to see you well."

"God, and you too Teal'c!" he returned the manly hug, overwhelmed by the surprise of seeing his teammate after all this time.

Teal'c then turned and next hugged Sam. "I am pleased you are also well Major Carter" he pulled back and smiled, "Samantha!" he leaned forward and hugged her again.

Sam was sure she was going to have bruises from Teal'c's arms but didn't care. She was just so happy to see him alive. She had worried, since they were captured, that he hadn't made it; that somehow he'd been killed. She had been so relieved to see that he was alive and clearly okay!

Finally, Teal'c stood back and turned towards the one he counted as his savior; the man who had called him to freedom and who had been by his side all these years.

O'Neill just stood there, a small smile on his face. Teal'c looked at him and could see that he had lost weight and looked tired and worn – but he also looked alive. Rarely in his life had events overwhelmed him enough to cause him to lose his voice – but now, he did not know what to say. He had been almost sure that O'Neill was gone, but he should have known better.

"Heya Teal'c", Jack spoke casually. "What took you so long?" He grinned and saw Teal'c relax in turn. He had worried, for a moment there, that the big man was going to cry.

"As usual O'Neill, you made it difficult to find you."

O'Neill raised his eyebrows. "Are you saying this was _my_ fault", he asked, humor lacing his voice.

Teal'c simply lowered his head slowly and uttered that famous word – "Indeed"! With that Jack laughed and limped over to his friend and threw his arms around him.

"It's great to see you buddy!" he said into the big man's shoulder. For the first time since they'd arrived on this planet Jack could feel some of his tension leave. He now had the Jaffa to help keep them all safe.

"It is great to see you as well O'Neill. I was told you were dead." Jack could hear the emotion underlying his friend's words and gave him a slap on the back in acknowledgement. He then pulled away and limped back. Looking up at his very own Jaffa he finally asked,

"So – how _did _you find us?"

"It is a long story O'Neill, and one which I feel would be better told sitting down." He looked ostensibly at Jack's crutch but the Colonel had a suspicion that it was his own legs and backside that Teal'c was more concerned with.

"Of course." He turned to the two younger – and grinning – members of his team. "Shall we go inside? We can probably find a table."

The four members of SG1, together again after months, in turn walked, and hobbled into the house.

"You sore Teal'c?" Jack asked softly of the man who was limping beside him.

"Indeed I am O'Neill." he paused. "I do not believe that Jaffa were meant to ride on top of a large quadraped. But I am sure I will feel better in the morning."

Jack let out a crack of laughter but refused to explain why he found that funny. "Oh, you'll see Teal'c, believe me, you'll see." he said when his friend raised his eyebrow at him.

The friends spent the rest of the evening, in fact, late into the night, telling each other of their adventures. If Jack's account was rather brief no one pressed him. They all knew the Colonel and how little he liked to speak of his troubles. At one point Daniel leaned forward and whispered to Teal'c "ask Atta – he'll tell you."

By the time they were finished it was late and all the women and children were sleeping.

"Come on Teal'c", Daniel touched the other man on the shoulder. "I'll show you were you can sleep."

"Uh, maybe I should go with you", muttered Jack, refusing to look Sam in the eye. Suddenly, with the reality of going home, the regulations were now an issue again. They hadn't had a chance to discuss what this would mean for them but Jack knew that sleeping together, however innocently, was no longer an option.

Daniel simply stared at his friends. He could see Jack's discomfort and Sam's hurt. She wasn't expecting this – she hadn't even thought about what Teal'c's presence meant. All she knew was that Jack was suddenly rejecting her.

"I thought you and Sam - " Daniel looked confused, unsure what to do.

"Sam can have the bed", Jack replied in a fake casual voice. "I'll bunk in with you guys." He turned to her but without looking her in the eye said a casual, "goodnight Carter, sleep well." He then turned and limped towards the door. Teal'c gave a perplexed look at Daniel Jackson and then followed O'Neill.

"Sam?" Daniel turned to her, worried by her stricken glance.

"It's okay Daniel. Just go to bed."

"Don't worry, Sam. It's just that Teal'c showing up - "

"I know. It'll be all right." She reached over and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. He gave her a quick hug and then followed his male teammates outside.

"Jack!" he said as they bunked down in the small shed out back. Jack looked around, remembering his words of earlier that day and the joy he'd felt.

"What Daniel?" he asked wearily.

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You know darn well! Why did you leave Sam like that?"

"Daniel, she's my second in command. What happened before – well, it's different now. I can't – we can't." He turned and pounded the folded blanket he was using as a pillow. "Oh hell – you know as well as I do that things have changed. Just leave it, okay."

The younger man wanted to push it, knowing how much his friend was hurting, but didn't know what to say. The fact was, things _had_ changed – but he also knew that if Jack and Sam didn't figure out a way around the present reality – well, they were in big trouble.

"What has happened?" Teal'c asked him the next day as they went for a short walk. Poor Teal'c had barely been able to walk and Jack had recommended that he get some exercise to "stretch those muscles". The Jaffa did not think it a good idea as everything in his body was protesting. He was sure he had discovered a new method of torture.

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked, not looking at his friend.

"O'Neill – he does not look happy and he and Major Carter appear to be angry at one other."

"No, that's not it. At least, you're right about Jack not being happy, but he and Sam aren't mad at each other." He sighed and looked up at the bigger man. "Here, let's sit down and I'll tell you."

As the two friends sat by the water's edge Daniel explained, in more detail, what had gone on over the last few months. "We both know they've cared for each other for a long time but they didn't do anything about it because of the Air Force. Well, after we were rescued Jack was still in bad shape physically and he was - pretty traumatized. He'll never say anything but it was really bad Teal'c. Sam was also a mess. She ended up with the Mistress from hell." After a short pause Daniel turned and looked directly at the other man. "They turned to each other Teal'c. They both desperately needed comfort, and love, so they came together."

"It was right for them to do so", Teal'c nodded. "But what is the problem?"

"Well, just in the last few days we all came to the conclusion that this was it, we were going to be stuck here forever. I think Jack had come to peace with that and was actually looking forward to settling down. He told me he was planning to raise horses. He and Sam didn't say anything specifically, but I could tell from the way they were acting that they'd decided to spend their life here together."

"And my arrival destroyed that!"

"Well …. Please don't think we're not thrilled to see you. We all want to go home. It's just that now, things are back to they way they were and Jack and Sam are having trouble with that."

This time it was Teal'c who turned to him. "We can not let that happen, Daniel Jackson. We must ensure that O'Neill and Major Carter stay together. It is _right_ that they be together."

"Yeah, I agree with you, but I don't know how we're going to do it. The Air Force isn't exactly relaxed about these things."

"And O'Neill can be a stubborn ass!"

"You said it Teal'c – you definitely said it!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

After Jack had left with Teal'c and Daniel, Sam lay alone in her bed, cold and tired, but unable to sleep. She needed Jack. She wanted his arms around her, she wanted to feel his warmth and the movement of his chest as he breathed. She wanted to wake up beside him and feel his scratchy face and his callused hands. Right now she really wished they _had_ gone out and made love in the grass, dozens of people or no. She could feel the throbbing between her legs and the regret in her heart.

"I've missed my chance", she said softly to herself. "If only we'd made love he wouldn't have turned away from me." She buried her face in her pillow, trying not to cry. "Why?" she sobbed. "Why now?" If only Teal'c had not shown up now, if he'd only waited a few days – things would be different.

Jack too lay awake, unable to sleep – and for much the same reason. He wanted Sam desperately! Oh, not for sex, not right now at least. No, he wanted, he needed her warmth and her softness. He needed her beside him - but now, now it was all screwed up! So much for the dream! Reality had come crashing down on top of him.

The next morning everyone began to pack up and get ready to head back to the main house. The young page who had accompanied Teal'c had brought the message that it was safe to return. He had left early that morning to go to Germanicus who would return himself in the next day or so.

As Jack tried to help, hindered by his leg, he thought about Sam and his next steps. He knew they'd have to talk about it although it was a conversation he was dreading. He just wished he knew what to do.

"Here", her soft voice interrupted his musings. "Let me help." He was attempting to load some of their supplies but was finding it difficult to bend over. She reached down and handed him a bag, which he threw into the back of the wagon.

"Thanks", he said softly, not looking at her.

"Jack", her voice cracked with emotion. He closed his eyes, not wanting to do this but knowing he had to.

"Carter", he said quietly. Her soft sob told him she recognized what he was doing, that he was moving their relationship back into a professional one. "I'm sorry. I hoped – "

"I know Sir", she answered. Then, taking a deep breath she asked, "is there no way?"

"I don't know." He finally faced her. Reaching out he gently touched her cheek with his thumb, feeling, rather than seeing the tears on her face. "I wish there were. I'd give anything – I just don't know Carter."

She nodded, understanding but not liking his answer. With another sob, which she tried to suppress, she turned from him. As she was leaving she said softly. "Goodbye Jack. I'll always love you."

He watched her leave and then replied, "Goodbye Sam."

Teal'c and Daniel watched from a distance, saddened, yet determined that this would not be the end for their friends.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

They arrived later that evening at the big house and were all relieved to be back in their own room and beds. Many of the women had, by now, heard about their husbands. Most in Germanicus' house were luck and their men were okay. Two of the women, however, were devastated to learn their men had been killed. There was much sadness and crying that night as the other women tried to console the new widows. Jack listened to the sounds and felt his heart hurt in sympathy for them. He knew how they felt.

The next day it was very obvious to the rest of SG1 that O'Neill and Carter were desperately trying to return to their old relationship as teammates. They were back to calling each other 'Sir' and 'Carter' and were completely professional with one another. They were exceedingly polite and kind – overly so - and both Daniel and Teal'c wanted to shoot them.

"I don't think I can take this much longer Teal'c", Daniel said as he sat down beside the Jaffa. "I want to ring both of their necks."

"I concur Daniel Jackson. We must devise a plan."

"A plan? Yeah, that's a good idea. So, do you have any ideas?"

"I do not, but I will study the matter."

"Okay", Daniel sighed. "In the meantime, I'm going to go shoot myself." He stood up and stomped away – as far from Sam or Jack as he could get.

It was later that day that the soldiers began returning. Atta flew off his horse and was greeted by a shriek from his loving wife. She threw her arms around him and he lifted her up. With a 'wink' at O'Neill he carried her into the house. They were not seen again for many hours. A couple of the other women looked after their children, one of the other nursing moms even feeding baby O'Neo.

A little later Germanicus returned. Although he gave his wife an equally big kiss, he was unable to take the time to be alone with her. He had too much important business to deal with. The first thing he had to do was to speak with O'Neo and Danihel and tell them something important.

"O'Neo", he called as he caught sight of the man. Jack smiled and limped over. Throwing out his arm he grasped Germanicus and then gave him a 'man-hug' and pat on the back.

"Congratulations!" he said.

"I owe the victory to you my friend", the prince said seriously.

"Nah! You and your soldiers did it. I just helped a little."

"A little?" the Commander of the Alemanni said incredulously. "You were the reason we have won. You are our hero O'Neo!"

Jack waved the man off, uncomfortable with such praise. He then saw that Germanicus was suddenly looking very serious. At that moment Daniel and Teal'c arrived, followed by Sam. Jack introduced Teal'c, causing the prince to narrow his eyes and look concerned. He somehow knew that the arrival of this man did not mean good things for his tribe. He was very afraid he was going to lose O'Neo and all he had brought to them.

"Come", he said abruptly. "There is something I must tell you." He motioned for them all to sit down at one of the large wooden tables in the main hall.

"What is it Germanicus?", asked Daniel, noticing the serious expression on the other's face.

"Some of the retreating Adrano soldiers were able to capture some of my men. They did it out of revenge for their loss, but also, I'm sure, to make a profit."

When Teal'c looked at him in confusion Germanicus explained.

"They will sell them as slaves." The big man nodded in understanding.

"Did they get very many?" Jack asked, concerned.

"Maybe a dozen or so. There should not be a problem with the free citizens who were captured. We can probably trade some of the prisoners for them. The issue is with anyone who was a slave before and escaped. Runaway slaves are returned to their masters and punished – severely. Many are killed as an example, or terribly maimed. I doubt the Adrano will be willing to trade for any such as these."

"So, how many former slaves were taken?" Jack asked.

"Just one that we know of." He stopped and looked at his new friends. "It is Crispus."

"Oh God, no", cried Sam. She knew better than anyone what lay in store for him at her former slave owner's hand. "Acquilina", she cried. "She'll torture him. We have to get him back."

When no one said anything she stood angrily. "We _have_ to help him. He saved my life." She turned to O'Neill. "Colonel, please, we can't leave him. He risked his life to save me – and what of Lydia? She'll be devastated." The young woman had returned with them from the hunting lodge and had done nothing but talk of Crispus. They were in love and were planning to ask permission to marry.

"Well", she continued fiercely, "I for one am going to go back and help him."

"No Sam", Jack said softly. "You're not."

"What! How can you say that Colonel? We don't leave our people behind. How many times have I heard you say that? Just because he's not - not from earth doesn't mean he isn't one of ours! I can't believe you're just going to let him rot! You've changed Colonel – you're not the man I - " she stopped suddenly, realizing what she had been about to say. With a gulp she continued, "not the man I've respected all these years."

"Whoa Major", he replied, holding up his hand. "I didn't say we weren't going to go get him, I simply said _you're_ not going."

"What? Why not?" she didn't know whether to apologize or scream some more at him.

"Because _Major_ – they know you. You are an escaped slave too and you'd be in too much danger. Daniel's the same so he can't go either. Nope, I'm afraid this is one for Teal'c and me."

Both the younger two members of SG1 protested but were finally silenced when Germanicus spoke up. "O'Neo is correct but I will send some of my men as well. They will not be known."

"But Jack", Daniel interrupted, still upset at being left out, "you were a slave too. What if you are recognized?"

"Who's to do that Daniel?" he asked. "The only people who might know me are Rannulfus, who Teal'c has under guard, and the ones who are at the bottom of the ocean. This Palinoopus guy never saw me."

"Palinurus", interjected Teal'c. "He is a very evil and powerful man. Do not underestimate him O'Neill."

"No, I won't – but still, he wasn't there so I don't know what danger he could be to me."

"You're sure?" asked Daniel.

"Sure?"

"Yeah, that he wasn't there", added Daniel. "You couldn't see anything. How do you know he didn't see you? And what about the fact that you sat in the market place for days as a beggar?"

"Look, even if he saw me – and I don't think he did - I don't have a beard now and I'm a lot cleaner and healthier. That goes for being a beggar as well. I'm sure – I _hope_ I don't look anything like that guy. Anyway, this is my call. You seem to have all forgotten but I _am_ in charge here!" he looked apologetically at Germanicus. "I mean of my team."

"I understand my friend, and I thank you for being willing to rescue Crispus. Do you think you will be able to manage with your leg?"

"Yeah. I can ride just fine and it's getting better every day. And anyway, who would expect a man with a cane and a gimpy leg to be on a rescue mission?"

The prince grinned at him, knowing that O'Neo would not let a little thing like an injured leg prohibit him from attempting this rescue. Although he would offer to help anyone, Germanicus suspected, the realization that it was Crispus, the man who had saved his woman, made his involvement in the rescue imperative.

"I'm not going to just sit here and wait – Sir", she added when he looked at her in surprise. "Please Colonel", she entreated, "Let me come with you?"

"Me too Jack", Daniel added.

"We can return by boat O'Neo and your friends can wait for you there. They will be safe but also close if you need them."

Teal'c was surprised at the sudden look of fear on O'Neill's face. He couldn't think what had caused it and knew there was something no one was telling him. It was a couple of seconds before the Colonel spoke.

"Why don't Teal'c, your men and I go by horseback? Daniel and Sam can head to the water and travel by boat. It's probably a good idea to split up anyway, in case of problems."

Teal'c desperately wanted to object, to offer to go by ship, and _not_ ride, but he knew there was something behind this so he simply nodded. Eventually, Daniel and Sam agreed, still not happy with being left out of the rescue attempt.

That night they prepared to leave the safety of Germanicus' house and return to Adrano, the city where it had all began.

_**Reverto Ut Adrano – Return to Adrano**_


	18. Acquilina

"Teal'c, before we're done here we'll make a real cowboy outta you!" Jack exclaimed as they rode towards Adrano. His companion wore a look of extreme long-suffering as he trotted alongside the Colonel.

"I have no wish to be a 'cowboy' O'Neill", Teal'c replied firmly. "I am satisfied to be Jaffa."

"Hey come on – wouldn't you like to be John Wayne or Clint Eastwood?"

"No."

"Well, you like Star Wars don't you? And Han Solo and Luke Skywalker."

"Indeed I do O'Neill. I do not see what that has to do with wanting to be a 'cowboy'."

"Because Star Wars was just a modern – well, a 'futuristic' cowboy and western movie. Luke was the classic hero – John Wayne – and Solo the 'anti-hero' like Eastwood. It even had the typical loveable but inept sidekick, the damsel in distress (although a real ass-kicken' damsel) and evil villains. And you know what? The bad guys even wore black! The only difference between Star Wars and Cowboy movies was they rode space ships rather than horses."

"I believe that was a very important difference O'Neill. I am comfortable on a space ship, I am not comfortable on a horse."

"You have no soul Teal'c! How could anyone not like riding through the plains – a man and his horse – protecting the innocent, fighting for truth and justice. It's – poetic."

There was silence for a few minutes as Jack contemplated the end of their journey. His thoughts were interrupted by Teal'c's next words.

"I am sorry O'Neill."

"Hey, that's okay Teal'c. Not everybody likes riding horses – although I think if you gave it a chance - "

"That is not what I meant my friend. I was not referring to the horse but rather to my arrival here."

"Your arrival?" Jack turned to him, confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that by arriving to 'rescue' you I interfered with your plans for a new life. I understand your unhappiness with having to return to earth."

"_What?_ What are you talking about? Of course I'm happy to be going home. At least, I will be when we're finished with this job. Why would you think I would want to stay here?"

"Daniel Jackson indicated that you had decided to stay and raise horses and that you and Major Carter - "

"Whoa!" Jack stopped his horse, but Teal'c figured his exclamation was addressed more to him than to his mount. "I don't know what he said to you but I never said I _wanted_ to stay here. We were just talking about what we'd do _if_ we stayed. We figured no one knew where we were and we'd have to make the best of things – so that's what I was doing. As for Major Carter – " he paused, "well, that's, I mean – look Teal'c, Daniel had no business saying anything to you about her. Carter and I – we've helped each other since we've been here, that's all. Nothing else happened and it won't so just leave it, okay?"

Teal'c rode quietly for a while but finally pulled the reins and stopped his horse.

"O'Neill", he called as the Colonel continued. With a sigh Jack pulled his horse to a stop.

"What?"

"I am afraid I do not believe you." The large man answered gently.

"Are you calling me a liar Teal'c?" Jack asked incredulously.

"No, I believe that you believe what you are saying. However, both Daniel Jackson and I know it is not true. You and Major Carter are meant to be together. It has been very clear to us for many years and now even more so. You do not need to dissemble. We will not do anything to harm either of you."

"What are you talking about Teal'c? I've told you, there's nothing going on between us and, even if we wanted there to be, we can't do anything about it. We're going back to earth and things will go back to the way they've always been!"

Teal'c nudged his horse and began to move forward. As he passed O'Neill he turned and spoke. "I understand what you are saying but it is not so. You and Major Carter must be together. Daniel Jackson and I are developing a plan. We will tell you when we have the details."

Jack continued to follow his friend with his eyes as Teal'c rode off. Finally, shaking his head, he cantered up to the other man. "Uh Teal'c, I really think you guys need to let us handle this."

"No, I am sorry but we will not. You and Major Carter have – not done well in devising a resolution to this issue - so now we must do it. Do not worry O'Neill. As I said, we will inform you when we have a solution."

"And I don't suppose there's anything I can do to convince you not to get involved in this?"

"No."

"I didn't think so." For the next few miles Jack was silent, although occasionally Teal'c could hear him mutter words like '_matchmakers'_ and _'interfering busybodies'_. At one point he wanted to ask what O'Neill meant by '_Yentl'_ but decided against it. He could tell his friend was quite perturbed.

Jack just wasn't quite sure what to make of that whole conversation and didn't know whether to be angry at or grateful for his friends and what they were planning. It worried him but at the same time gave him a smidgen of hope. Finally deciding to forget about it, at least for now, he turned to his large companion.

"So, you don't want to be a cowboy", he said.

"No O'Neill, I do not."

That night they made camp and Jack enjoyed the camaraderie of his friend. Teal'c had always been a calming presence, which was something he needed right now. He really was glad his friend had found them, although he had been right about his initial disappointment.

They were going to meet up with the wagons in a day or two and then head together into the city. The plan was to pretend he was a wealthy merchant from the far east. The wagons held their supplies, his 'goods for sale' and their 'servants'. The servants were made up of a number of fighting men from Germanicus' household, including his brother Atta.

"There is no way you will leave me behind O'Neo", the younger man had said. He looked at his friend, "this is too good an adventure to miss."

"But what if you are captured? You'd be a valuable prize for the Adrano."

"They will not know who I am and I will be careful."

Jack still thought it was crazy but Germanicus okay'd it so there was little he could do. The women had had a wonderful day putting together a wardrobe for him. He had to look the part of a wealthy merchant so they had raided the prince's wardrobe. He looked down and grimaced at the colorful clothes he wore.

The wagons had moved out in advance as they'd take longer and Jack didn't relish having to ride so slowly. They would meet at the crossroads and then head into the city together. If anyone saw they traveled separately he would just claim the truth – that he wanted to ride faster.

Jack had tried to get Teal'c to travel in the wagons, knowing how much he hated riding, but the big man refused to let him out of his sight. He had spent too many months searching and didn't want to lose O'Neill now!

When they arrived at the city, however, Teal'c was going to have to stay very much out of sight so that Palinurus or his men didn't recognize him. Atta would take over playing the part of his personal servant and bodyguard.

They had discussed their plan of action and had decided to simply try and meet Acquilina. It was well known she loved beautiful things – and they'd brought silks and perfumes from the east. It had turned out that Germanicus did a lot of trading with with his small fleet of ships. He had been happy to provide the 'goods' for trade.

So, he'd go to Acquilina's and try and find Crispus. Hopefully they would arrive in time. According to Germanicus, the men who had taken the prisoners were traveling by wagon themselves so shouldn't be too far ahead of them.

As they pulled into the city Jack couldn't help but look around. He'd first arrived blind and enslaved and hadn't seen Adrano, but the smells and sounds immediately took him back to that awful time. His last time here he'd gotten to know the market area well but hadn't really seen any of the rest of the city. Although he knew that much of it was teaming with filth and poverty and crime, the first appearance of it was beautiful. He imagined it looked much as ancient Rome had done. Some of the buildings were magnificent and he couldn't help but admire the fountains and statues they passed as they traveled through the streets.

"Micelus is taking us to an Inn where wealthy merchants often stay", whispered Atta in his ear. Teal'c was sitting, his head and body covered by a robe, in one of the wagons.

Micelus himself had been a merchant but had fallen in love with a slave woman. He had managed to rescue her and they had fled to the Alemanni. She had been captured as a child from one of the outlying tribes and they wanted to return there but instead had been welcomed by Germanicus. No one had ever found out that Micelus was the one responsible for freeing the slave and he often traveled to the city to gather information. He was well known at the Inn to which they were heading.

That evening they settled in Jack's room and discussed their plan. He would go, the next day, and call on Acquilina, offering his wares. He would take Atta, but others of his men would check out the servants and the surrounding houses. He just prayed they would find Crispus quickly.

He stood waiting in the atrium of Acquilina's house, Atta waiting in the wagon, admiring the cool marble and the beautiful mosaics on the floor. The rest of his team would have been surprised at how much he knew about ancient Roman art and architecture. He'd always enjoyed the beauty of that time and was quite blown away by seeing it 'in person'.

He was staring down at the floor, trying to determine what the scene was, when he heard someone clear his throat. He looked up to see a manservant – or slave he guessed – standing looking at him.

"My lady will see you now", the man said, looking nervous. At first Acquilina had sneered to hear that a merchant wanted to see her but Jack had been smart and had brought a small gift to present to her. When her servant had given her the beautiful alabaster perfume bottle she'd lifted her brows but had secretly been pleased.

"Show him in", she'd said harshly. Sitting down on her couch she waited to see the merchant. A few minutes later a tall, grey haired man entered. He was walking with a cane and was limping quite badly, but was still very attractive.

"My lady", Jack entered and bowed his head, trying to appear suitably deferential. Knowing what this woman was capable of – and especially knowing what she'd done to Sam – made him want to tear her throat out. It was a good thing, he thought, that she wasn't wearing that blond wig or he probably would have. As it was he brought every bit of charm to bear.

Acquilina was enchanted. The man in front of her was handsome and virile looking. He looked more like a soldier than a merchant, she thought, especially with the limp, but he still had possibilities. With a small smile she held out her hand and the merchant approached, took it, and kissed her knuckles.

"I thank you for agreeing to see me, My Lady", Jack said, smiling. "I know how busy you are and I am very honored that you would take time for a humble merchant such as I." God, if Daniel could hear him, he thought. He had to hide a small grin – the space monkey would be impressed!

"Normally I don't see merchants. I leave it to my servants, but I was – appreciative – of your small gift." She gestured to the small chair across from her. "Please sit down." As he settled himself, with a silent sigh of relief, Acquilina called to her servant girl.

"Get us some wine! And do not dawdle", she said harshly. The young woman looked frightened but left the room quickly.

"So", she turned back to the handsome man in front of her. "Let me see what you are _offering_".

Jack could feel his neck begin to grow hot. This woman was clearly not interested in his 'goods' – at least not in the ones out in the wagon. No, she was very obviously interested in him. As much as he hated the idea, he knew he could use it to his advantage.

"I have many fine silks, perfumes and items of beauty – but none so fair as you, My Lady. _Your_ beauty puts them to shame."

She 'tittered'. He never knew what that had meant exactly before today, but decided it accurately described the sound she made. It made him ill, coming as it did from a middle-aged woman rather than from a young girl.

"You are a flatterer!" she cried. "But wait – you have not given me your name."

"I am called Atticus", he answered. He'd had to pick a name for himself – he didn't want to use the Latin Ioannes for Jonothan – so instead had picked the name of one of his favorite characters. He'd always loved Atticus Finch from _To Kill a Mockingbird._

"Atticus! That is a fine name", she replied flirtatiously. "It has a very – manly sound to it."

Oh God, he thought, could she be any more obvious? He was so not going there!

"May I show you some of my wares, My Lady?" he asked, hoping to focus her mind away from where it had obviously gone.

"I would very much like to see your _wares_ Atticus. I'm sure they are – magnificent."

He could actually feel himself blush. Talk about blatant! Well, my dear, he thought to himself, I'm afraid you're never gonna know! He smiled.

"I only brought a few samples today", he said, "but I'd be happy to return and show you more – at your convenience of course."

"Of course, I think that would be excellent! Why don't you return tomorrow and we can spend the afternoon – looking at your wares. I'm sure we will both enjoy the experience."

Okay, he really was going to lose his cookies any minutes now. He smiled again. Just then the servant girl walked in carrying a tray with a bottle of wine and two glasses. As well, there were some small cakes on a plate. Jack worried for her as the tray looked too big for her to carry. He wondered why someone else wasn't helping her.

She walked over to where her mistress was seated and went to put the tray down on the small table. As she laid it down the wine bottle tipped and would have fallen except for the fact that Jack had been watching it and quickly grabbed it before it fell. A sharp pain stabbed through his knee from the quick movement, but the look of gratitude on the girl's face made it worth it.

After thanking him quietly she quickly poured two glasses of wine. Handing one first to her mistress she gave the second one to Jack. She then held out the plate with the cakes.

Acquilina took one and bit into it slowly. Well, it must not be poisoned, he thought. He'd heard Daniel talk about this woman and her penchant for getting rid of the men around her. He took a cake and also bit into it.

"It is excellent", he said. "You must have a very good cook."

"I make do", Acquilina answered. She glared at the slave-girl and shooed her away. The girl stumbled as she left and threw a quick look of fear towards her mistress.

"Servants!" she snorted. "It's so difficult to find a slave who is not incompetent these days." She was going to have to punish that girl for being so clumsy, she thought.

"You are right, Lady Acquilina. They are so ungrateful for all we do for them."

"Yes, how true", she said pleased. This man clearly understood. "Do we not give them food to eat and a roof over their heads and instead they lie and steal from us!"

"If any of my servants did that I would punish them instantly", he said harshly. She thought it was because he agreed with her while in truth it was because he felt sick even having to say these words.

"Yes", she smiled at him with a knowing smile. "It is important that they understand who is their master – or mistress", she said coyly. "I make sure to punish my slaves harshly when they are disobedient or willful. As a result I have very few problems with my slaves."

"You are a wise mistress then", he answered. "It can be difficult to deal with slaves. I recently had one who escaped, although fortunately he was soon captured."

"Oh", she said with interest. "And what did you do?"

"Nothing as of yet. I just received word, after leaving for my journey here, that he had been found. When I return I will deal with him."

"Hmmm. I too have recently found a slave who ran away from me."

"Really?" he asked. He leaned forward and put a tentative hand on her arm. She smiled faintly, enjoying the touch. "May I ask My Lady, how did you deal with him? A woman such as you is obviously wise, as well as beautiful. This is the first time I have lost a slave and I would welcome your – suggestions."

"You are fortunate indeed if this is the first slave who has run away. Here in Adrano it is increasingly becoming a problem. Many slaves flee to the barbarians and it is becoming more difficult to keep servants. For that reason, it is important to deal harshly with them", she continued. "They must be made an example of so that the other slaves will hesitate to follow their footsteps."

"I was correct – you are very wise."

She smiled directly at him and took his hand in hers. Giving it a squeeze she continued. "Crispus, the slave who ran away, didn't just leave me – he also murdered my housekeeper, a faithful woman. For that he will be punished even more."

"Have you not punished him already?" Jack really hoped not.

"I had him whipped but that was just the first step – it was just enough to weaken him. Next will be the real punishment." She sat up and leaned forward so that her face was close to his. "Why don't you come and see", she offered. "You will then have an idea of what you can do to your slave."

"Why thank you. I am grateful for your kind invitation. When is the punishment planned?"

"Tomorrow evening I am having a banquet in honor of my 'step-son'", she said with a small sneer. "He is a useless lout but I must maintain the appearance of getting along with him. As part of the entertainment I am planning to have Crispus brought forward. I having something _very_ special planned for him. I just wish the women were here to see it!" she said, sounding peeved.

"The women?" he asked.

"Yes, there were two women slaves who escaped with him as well. Both of them were ugly and stupid but I made some use of them. I would love to have them back and have them both branded as runaways – after I had them scourged of course."

"Hmmm", he answered, unable to speak. He really, really wanted to kill this woman. Poor Sam, no wonder she had been traumatized.

"So, will you come?" asked Acquilina coyly.

"You couldn't keep me away, My Lady." He went to stand. He had to get out of here quickly before he did something he would regret. "I must go now as I have other customers, but I look forward to seeing you tomorrow afternoon. I will return with my – goods. I thank you also for your kind invitation tomorrow evening." He bowed and kissed her hand again. As he limped out her eyes followed him. He could feel her evil hunger following him as he left.

He shivered.


	19. Revelata

_**Revelata – Revealed**_

"He's being held under guard," Atta told them that evening. "I don't think there's any way we can get to him; too many servants and guards are around during the day."

"How is he?" asked Jack. He could hear Acquilina telling him Crispus had been whipped. He stretched his shoulders, still remembering the agony of the lashes across his back.

"Okay I think, although pretty sore. Fortunately she had one of the other slaves whip him and I think the man showed a little mercy. It was just the first punishment anyway. Acquilina is leaving the main show for later."

"Yeah, she's using Crispus as the entertainment for her dinner party."

"God, what a woman!"

"She's a murdering bitch all right. I just wish I didn't have to see her again." Jack looked down in disgust, worried about his afternoon 'tête-à-tête' with the woman.

"She fancies you does she?" Atta grinned. "I bet you're _her_ main course."

"Shove it Atta," Jack replied scathingly. Teal'c had sat quiet the whole time but he appeared to be holding back a small smile as well. Jack turned and glared at him. "You too Teal'c! I don't want this getting out to _anyone_, you hear me?" He looked at Atta and Teal'c particularly but also to the other men in the room. The last thing he needed was for Daniel to get a hold of this – he'd never hear the end of it. Of course, what he _really_ didn't want was to have Sam find out. He wasn't quite sure how it would affect her.

"So", he continued, changing the subject back to Crispus, "how are we going to get him out of there?"

"I think the best time is during the banquet", mused Atta. "That's how we got Samanta out. The servants will be preoccupied, as will Acquilina. They will not be expecting a rescue attempt."

"Is not Crispus the 'main show', O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

"Yeah. I'll have to find out when she plans to bring him out. We can see if there's anything we can do tomorrow afternoon, when I'm with her, but I think Atta's right, it'll be better in the evening. We'll just have to make sure to get him out early, before they plan to 'punish' him. I expect they'll let everyone eat first."

"Okay, so we plan on releasing him while you're all at dinner?"

"Mmmm hmmm, I think that'll work. Look, there'll be lots of people running around, extra serving staff, personal slaves of some of the visitors, the guests themselves – a few extra 'strangers' probably won't be noticed. In fact, I'll bring a couple of servants," he looked over at Atta and Petrus, "myself."

"What of me O'Neill?" Teal'c asked. He did not like the idea of being left behind.

"You'll watch our six Teal'c. You can stay outside and monitor everything. If things look like they're going bad, you call in the cavalry."

"Cavalry O'Neill?"

"Go to the ship and tell Arminius that we need backup." Germanicus had sent one of his ships, under disguise, to dock in Adrano city, close to where Jack had first been put on the Galley. He had sent a contingent of men along with Sam and Daniel, who were waiting on board. Jack knew they were upset at being unable to accompany him, but the last thing he needed was the added worry of having the two of them recognized.

The plan was in place, Jack said to himself as he rode towards Acquilina's for his afternoon 'tryst'. He was still nervous however. There were just too many unknowns for him to feel comfortable about the whole thing.

They were going to plant at least six men inside the house and get Crispus out as quickly as possible. They had agreed that the best time was when dinner was being served. Everyone would be extremely busy and pre-occupied.

As soon as they got him out they'd head directly to the ship. It would leave immediately and travel a day's ride away where it would rendezvous with Jack and his 'servants' the next day. Hopefully no one would associate the rescue attempt with him. In fact, he planned to be suitably sympathetic with Acquilina.

As they arrived at the wicked witches house he sighed and then took a deep breath. This reminded him of the times he'd gone into battle with a snake-head – although he was pretty sure Acquilina was worse!

Unlike his first visit he was taken directly in to see the 'mistress'. As he walked in he could feel himself grow uncomfortable. It appeared as if he'd been invited in to her 'boudoir'. Acquilina was lying on a day bed, dressed in a rather revealing dress. On her head was a blond wig. He could feel his heart rate increase, not from desire but from anger. Hold it together O'Neill, he said to himself. As much as you'd like to make this woman suffer, the important thing is to get Crispus out.

"My Lady", he walked forward and took her outstretched hand and kissed it.

"Your hand is so cold, Atticus", she murmured seductively. "We'll have to warm you up!"

"It is nothing Ma'am", he replied. "I have just come from outside." He smiled and took the seat she indicated, which was _way_ too close to her. "I have brought some things for you to see. May I have my servant bring them in?"

"Oh, you are so impatient. We can have him bring them in later. Right now I'd like to get to know you a little first."

So, he spent the next hour telling her all about his – made up – history. It's a good thing Daniel and Atta had made him practice!

"Your wound was as a result of a riding accident? Oh, poor Atticus, that must be so hard."

"I can still ride; it's easier than walking actually", he answered truthfully. "I was told to rest it but I was just too anxious to come to Adrano", he continued. "And I am so glad I did. I did not know what a beautiful …. city it was." She slowly smiled as he looked her in the eye. God, he was going to be sick.

"Atticus, why don't you get some of your things now and show me? Maybe I'll find something I can wear this evening." She reached out and rang a small bell by her side. Almost instantly a young slave-girl appeared. "Tell my guest's servant to bring in his wares." She said to the servant, not looking at her.

"Yes My Lady." The girl scurried out and shortly Atta and Petrus entered carrying baskets of good.

"Here", he said, "let me show you some of the silks I've brought from the east." Here again he had to remember all that Germanicus' wife and sister-in-law had told him about the things he was showing. Not only did they explain what the hell they were, they also taught him how to make the items appeal to a woman. He was _so_ thankful no one was here to watch him talk about the shimmering material which brought out the color in Acquilina's eyes, or the scents that would do all sorts of amazing, miraculous, bla, bla things for her. This is ridiculous, he thought. We should have just stormed her house and taken the damn man!

"Why don't you put it on for me?" He looked at Acquilina, startled. His mind had been wandering and it took a second for him to realize she was talking about the necklace he was holding.

"Of course", he replied. Edging closer to her he leaned forward but couldn't quite reach her.

"Come, sit beside me", she patted the day bed. With an internal 'gulp' he moved over. He was sure he was starting to sweat.

The woman lowered her head and moved he wig aside so that he could put the necklace on. He had to remember to look like he did this all the time. In fact, it had been years – since he was married to Sara!

As soon as he finished she put her head up and turned to him. Her hand lay on the pendant, which fell between her breasts. "It's beautiful", she said, stroking it. She reached out with her other hand and laid it on his thigh. She began to lean into him and, at the same time, her hand began to move higher.

"Ah", he squeaked, "It looks lovely on you and it's a good price." He tried to back away but her hand grasped his leg.

"I'm sure I'd pay a _very_ good price for this" she answered moving closer. "I think I can make this afternoon – very profitable for you!" Damn, the woman was trying to buy him!

"Uh" he leaned away, not quite sure how to get out of this without offending her when she suddenly 'pounced'. Without any warning she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him forward and kissed him. It was a passionate – and very aggressive kiss. This woman knew what she wanted, thought Jack, and that was obviously him!

As the kiss continued – to Jack's dismay – she continued to press him back until he was forced to lie down on the day bed. The next thing he knew she was on top of him! She held his head in her two hands and continued to kiss him – open-mouthed, sloppy kisses – all over his face and neck.

He groaned, which fortunately for him she took to mean passion, but which, in actuality was a groan of pure and utter panic. How in hell was he going to get out of this one?

He suddenly felt her hand reach down – and down. Alarmed, he grabbed it and began to stroke her fingers – anything to keep her from touching him _there._ He couldn't stand the thought and, besides which, she'd soon discover that he wasn't in the least bit interested in what she was offering.

"Shy, my love?" she asked, as she continued to fondle and kiss him. He grunted again, and continued to return her kisses. He idly wondered if the Air Force had a special medal for this? If they didn't, they should, he decided. This was _definitely_ going above and beyond the call of duty.

Without warning Acquilina's hand snaked around to his back and began trying to loosen his tunic. She wanted to feel his flesh! At first he didn't stop her – her wanting to stick her hand up his back was the least of his worries! Abruptly, however it came to him; he _couldn't_ allow her to feel his back. She'd feel the terrible scars from his lashing and know instantly that he was an escaped slave. Citizens were never lashed. It was definitely a sign of slavery.

Moaning, he forced himself to move so that he could sit up while not dumping Acquilina on the floor. He gently moved her off his lap and onto the seat beside him. He gave her one final kiss but then pulled away. He could tell that she was angry and he knew he had to appease her somehow.

"I am sorry, My Lady", he gasped. All that kissing had made him quite breathless. "There is nothing I would like more than to – spend the afternoon – with you but I am afraid I cannot."

"Why?" she asked shortly. No man dared refuse her!

"It is only because my doctor has warned me against this", he said. "My leg is still healing and he informed me that to make my blood run too hot would harm it. I'm afraid, Mistress Acquilina, that you make my blood run _very_ hot!" He gave her what he hoped was a look of passion, and not one of nausea.

She looked at him blankly for a minute and he knew it could go either way.

"I would ask that you give me a few more days. By the end of the week my doctor says I may allow the – heat to consume me. I would beg of you to let me return and spend another afternoon with you. I would only ask that you accept this necklace as a gift – so that you do not forget me."

If there was anything that Acquilina liked, more than a handsome man in her bed, it was something for free. Grasping the necklace she looked at the handsome man in front of her. She was feeling quite – frustrated – but thought that maybe the wait would be good. By the end of the week both of their bodies would be – hot – in anticipation.

"But you will come to my banquet?" she finally broke her silence.

Thank God, he thought! "Yes. I would not miss it My Lady. I only thank you for your patience with me. It is very _hard_ to have to wait." Surely she wasn't buying this, thought O'Neill! He wanted to laugh at her besotted expression. He'd have to tell his team – no, he took that back – he'd have to tell Atta and Germanicus. He figured his team would kill him for this!

She smiled knowingly. "Well, let's hope things get _harder_ before you return. In the meantime, we will simply enjoy a meal together this evening – and some entertainment."

"I am looking forward to it. Do you still plan to entertain us by demonstrating what you do to runaway slaves?"

"Oh yes! After we have eaten I will have the young man brought in and you can see how I handle my property."

"I am looking forward to it. I am sure I will learn much!"

"Yes – and so will my other slaves. They will be forced to watch as well." She stood up, still grasping the necklace. "I have not decided on what else I wish to purchase. Come back at the end of the week with your – wares – and I will look them over."

"It will be my pleasure, My Lady."

As he left Acquilina's house he breathed a sigh of relief. He would have felt much less relieved had he seen the man who was approaching up the street.

Palinurus watched the man limp out of Lady Acquilina's house. He was sure he'd seen him before, but he couldn't remember where. As he knocked on her door he determined to ask her who that man was.

All the way back to the Inn where he was staying Jack had to take deep breaths. He also was craving a bath – he needed to get her smell off of him. He'd taken a big swig of wine from Atta's wineskin when he'd gotten into the wagon. The other man had laughed and slapped him on the back.

"So, did you have a good time, my friend?" Atta asked.

"I don't think that's quite how I'd describe it. It was more like – purgatory!"

"Purgatory?" Atta asked. "I do not know this word."

"Let's just say I think I would have preferred to be back on the Galley. The people were nicer!"

Atta looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "Did you have to - " he paused.

"What?" Jack looked at him but the other man just stared back. After a second he got it. "You mean did I have to – hell no! There's no way I would ever take partake of that little tidbit! God, the thought makes me want to vomit! And anyway, I couldn't." When Atta looked at him in surprise he continued indignantly. "I don't mean I _couldn't_ – I mean that if she saw my back the gig would be up." Atta didn't quite get the reference but he instantly understood what Jack meant.

"I had forgotten that. Yes, it would be bad. She would know you were a slave."

"Yeah, I figured that one out real fast."

"So, she was not interested?"

"Oh, she was interested all right. I simply told her I couldn't – you know – right now because of my leg. Told her the doctor had said not to. I did make another date with her though."

"You did?" asked the younger man in surprise. "But I thought you said you would never - "

"Of course I won't. I made it for after we're gone. I don't plan to ever be alone with that woman again!"

As he lay lounging on one of the couches that evening he looked around the room. There were flat 'couches' placed around the room in a U shape – with a head table making up the square. The couches were, in essence, mattresses with round cushions at the top where the guests leaned, the rest of their bodies laid out behind them. In the centre of the square were various musicians and performers who entertained the guests. He had the honor of being at the head-table, in between Acquilina and her stepson.

He spent some time looking at the other guests. He'd been introduced to most of them but could only remember a few names. Surprisingly she'd invited her brother – who was not at the head table but was seated on the couches to the left side of the square. It was obvious the man was blind by the fact that his servant took the food and carefully cut and served it to him.

Also among the guests were important city leaders including a number of Senators and Magistrates. There were some wealthy merchants and a few officers – although Acquilina explained that there were fewer than normal because of he recent war with the Alemanni.

"Most of them are hiding their heads in shame", she continued sarcastically. "The fools let the Barbarians get the better of them."

"I hear the Alemanni had a brilliant new General that lead them to victory", one of the Magistrates interjected.

"Yes", agreed another man, seated to his left. "It is said he came out of no where and that he is invincible. Some of the soldiers said he even escaped the wrath of the Gods who sent the snow down on them. It appears he and his servant were the only ones to survive the snow."

"That's nonsense", Acquilina replied. "He was just lucky. I'm sure he was no more than a simple barbarian. It was only that they knew those hills better than the Adrano. We will not be so fooled next time. 

"I don't know", the first man returned. "I have heard of this general from a number of soldiers. I believe he is called the great O'Neo. They hold him in awe."

"Well, the best thing we can do is find him and kill him then." Acquilina said. "That will put a stop to them."

"Yes, I agree" General Octavius jumped into the conversation. "We are gathering information on who this man is and we plan to send an assassin. According to the men he is huge - much bigger than a normal man - and has silver hair. We will find him."

"Sounds like a God to me", one of the women threw in. The guests laughed and the conversation turned to other things.

As Jack listened to the conversation he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable to hear t hem discussing him – although he still denied that he had much to do with winning the battle. He did have to laugh over the fact that he'd been promoted to 'General' – he wondered what Hammond would say.

As the evening progressed he began to get tired of the gluttony and the never-ending entertainment. If he saw one more dancing girl or acrobat he was going to throw up! He just hoped his men had had a chance to rescue Crispus.

In actual fact, the rescue had gone more easily than they had expected. As O'Neo had said, there were so many people about that no one noticed the strangers walking around. It had taken Petrus only a few minutes to find the room Crispus was being held in. In fact, the slaves were speaking of nothing else. He could tell they were upset over what was coming and terrified that they'd be next.

Getting in to the room posed a bit of a larger problem and there was a guard on the door. They watched for a suitable moment, when no one else was around, and Atta approached him to ask a question. With the man distracted Gracus, one of their men, simply went up behind him and hit him on the head. He dropped like a tree.

Atta reached down and took the key from the guard's belt and opened the door. They could see Crispus lying on the floor, simply staring at the ceiling.

"Are you going to lie there all day?" Atta asked. Crispus cried out and sat up.

"Atta! What are you doing here?"

"Shhh. We are here to get you out. Can you walk?"

"Yes", Crispus pushed himself to his feet. He was bruised and bloody but he could still get around. Petrus threw him a cloak, which he quickly donned. He pulled the hood over the head and walked to the door. 

"Wait", whispered Gracus. He pulled the guard into the room and quickly tied him with the ropes he'd brought for this purpose. He then gagged the man and threw a threadbare blanket over him. "Now we may go."

The rescuers slowly and casually made their way to the back alley. Atta paused a few times and joked with the other servants. He even stopped and grabbed a piece of bread – anything to make sure they didn't look guilty of anything.

Finally, they made it out to the back alley. Once there they hurried to the waiting wagon. Teal'c was there, waiting patiently.

"Did you retrieve him?" he asked. Atta nodded.

"Yes. It's time to go." He watched as his men, including Crispus, got into the wagon. "Head directly to the ship as fast as you can without looking suspicious. As soon as you've boarded take off. We will meet tomorrow at the rendezvous site." With no more than a nod the driver took off, leaving Teal'c, Atta and Petrus.

"Okay, Petrus and I will head back in and wait for O'Neo."

"I will stay here and watch. Go safely."

"We will, don't worry." With that the two 'servants' went back into the house.

The banquet went on for a while longer until finally Acquilina clapped her hands. "It is time for the main entertainment." She nodded to a male slave who left the room.

O'Neill could feel his heart starting to beat faster. Now he would find out whether or not their plan had worked. He glanced over to the side and was surprised to see a dark-haired man staring at him. He was sure he didn't know him and was trying to recall whether or not they'd been introduced. Somehow he thought the man might have come late.

As Jack sat there wondering, he saw a servant walk up to the man and whisper something in his ear. The man immediately looked over at him. Jack could see a small smile forming on his face. He didn't like this.

"MY LADY!" the servant ran into the room. "He is gone!"

"WHAT!" she screamed. "What are you saying?" She stood and glared at the slave who started to shake in fear.

"He is gone. Someone has released him. The guard was found, bound, in his place. There is not a sign of Crispus anywhere."

"FOOLS! You will find him or I will have you all punished in his place." She began screaming at her slaves, most of whom were frozen in terror.

Acucio, Acquilina's stepson, tried to calm her down. "There's no point getting angry at your slaves, Mistress. It wasn't their fault."

"This is not your business Acucio", she screamed. "I know you want me out of here and that you think this property should be yours – but it's not. It is mine and I have a right to do what I want with what is mine!"

He shrugged and sat back down but Jack could see the seething anger in the man. He'd noticed that Acquilina treated him as a child, or an idiot, but he was pretty sure that the stepson was a shrewd and canny man. He kinda thought Acquilina might have met her match!

After a while it became clear that Crispus _was_ gone. The guests were as much entertained by watching Acquilina's fury, as they would have been at the punishment of the slave. By the time she had sat down, exhausted, Jack wondered if it was time to finish the party and head out. He was just pleased that they'd managed the escape.

He was about to stand up when he heard a voice. It was the man he'd wondered about earlier.

"My Lady", the man cried in a loud voice. The other guests slowly grew silent as if they could feel that something important was about to happen. "I have something to say that I think might interest you."

"Yes, what is it Palinurus?" Acquilina asked impatiently. She didn't like the man but he was growing increasingly important and she knew it was imperative she remain on his good side.

"You may have lost a slave but I am pleased to tell you I have found another." Jack slowly looked up at the man who was pointedly staring at him. Shit – it looked like it was going to go bad. Carefully, casually, he glanced over at Atta who stood in the doorway. He'd entered during all the commotion over Crispus. Atta gave a small nod and slipped out the door.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"I am talking about one of my slaves – one of my galley slaves – who escaped but who has now returned under false pretenses. He is here tonight as your guest, masquerading as a free-man." There was a collective gasp from the guests. A slave pretending to be a free citizen was a crime punishable by a very slow and painful death.

"Who are you talking about?" she asked, looking around.

"I am talking about that man", he pointed directly at Jack. A slave-trader sold him to me many months ago. He was a slave on one of my galleys, one that sank. We thought all had died but obviously he survived."

Jack stood slowly, knowing that the only chance he had was with bravado. "What are you talking about? My name is Atticus. I am a respectable merchant from Gaulus. I am no slave!"

"He lies", Palinurus smiled. "And I can prove it." There was a noise by the door and a number of guards came in holding a struggling Teal'c. He looked up at O'Neill and gave him an apologetic look.

"This man came to see me some days ago, asking for his friend – a tall, grey haired man, who had been sold as a slave. He was looking for information to attempt to 'rescue' him. I found him tonight standing outside, obviously waiting for his friend, the slave."

"That is no proof", cried Jack. "I do not know this man", he said, pointing to Teal'c. He looked over at his friend. "Do you know me? Am I the man you seek?"

"No", replied Teal'c. "You look like my friend, which was why I was here. I was hoping to see you more clearly. Now that I have I know that you are not he."

"See, what did I tell you. My name is Atticus and I am a merchant. It is a simple mistake." He looked over to Acquilina who was looking unsure. On the one hand she'd been looking forward to a dalliance with the handsome stranger. On the other, she didn't want to alienate Palinurus –and, if he was correct, she surely didn't want to soil herself by having a relationship with a dirty slave!

She turned to Jack. "Can you prove that you are who you say you are?" she asked.

"I would say rather that this man has to prove that I am _not_ who I say I am. I have done nothing to harm anyone. I have come honestly, with my goods – which you have seen, My Lady. If I truly were this slave, why would I return here? I would stay as far away from this place as possible. There are many other places I could trade."

Jack could feel Acquilina, and her guests, turning in his favor. What he'd said was logical. What slave, in his right mind, would return to the place where his life was in danger? Unfortunately, Palinurus spoke again.

"I believe he came to save the slave, Crispus. Did not this slave escape with two others – a woman and a man, slaves to both you My Lady and to your brother?" At that Aetius put his head up, clearly interested for the first time.

"Yes, that is true." Acquilina answered, unsure where this was going.

"Well this man", he pointed to Teal'c, "told me that he was looking for them as well. He informed me that these three were all friends. This man", he now pointed to Jack, "was a companion to those two other slaves who escaped. He obviously returned to help save Crispus who was the one who had helped his friends with their escape. He was returning the favor."

Oops, thought Jack, the crowd was now turning the other way. "How did I help?" Jack asked. "I have been here the whole evening. I had nothing to do with this Crispus and I certainly do not know this man." Indicating Teal'c.

"So, you claim that you were never a slave?" Palinurus asked.

"No", answered Jack, sure the other man had something else up his sleeve.

"Then you will show me your back and your ankles and wrists." He slowly smiled.

"Why would I do that?" Jack asked, feeling the sweat starting to drip down his back. He just prayed Atta could get help in time.

"To prove you are a merchant. To prove you have never been scourged or chained to a galley." He turned to the guests. "You see friends, galley slaves often have to be punished – or _induced_ to work hard. We use a lash for that. As well, they are chained hand and foot to the boards. After a while every galley slave will have scars that point to his – occupation. If this man has never been a slave he will not have these scars."

Jack took a deep breath. "There are other ways to get scars, as I'm sure you know. Besides that, why should I submit to something like that? You have no proof for your claims and you insult your hostess and me."

Palinurus just laughed, knowing that he had won. He nodded his head and two of his servants (bully-boys, more like, thought Jack) walked up to where Jack was standing. "Hey, what are you doing? This isn't your house."

"My Lady", Palinurus turned and bowed. "With your permission, this will take but a brief moment. If he has no scars I will humbly apologize and will offer to buy all his goods at an exceptional price. If, however, he has the scars – then I would beg of you to give him back to me." 

Acquilina refused to look at Jack but gave a brief nod. She was unhappy at how her supper party had turned out and wanted to take it out on someone. Who, she wasn't quite sure yet.

Deciding it was now or never, Jack made a run for the door. He jumped over the table, pushing Acquilina down. He would have made it except for the one thing he forgot – his knee. He hadn't taken more than a few steps before it buckled under him and he fell. He could see Teal'c straining against his guards, but he couldn't get free.

"Shit", Jack said in English. "That tears it!" Palinurus men reached him quickly and flipped him on his stomach. At a quick nod from their master they grabbed his tunic and ripped it off his shoulders and down to his waist. Jack could hear the gasps from the guests. He knew his back was criss-crossed, from top to bottom, with wicked looking scars. He then felt his pant legs being lifted and his shoes removed. There, in full view, were the livid looking scars around his ankles. As they reached for his sleeves he jerked his hands away.

"Okay already", he said, his voice muffled by being pressed into the floor. "I think we get the point."

"Bring him here", Acquilina's voice dripped venom. Damn – she was one pissed lady, thought Jack as he was quickly lifted to his feet and dragged forward. Looking at her he could tell he was in big trouble. Not only had he evidently helped her slave escape – he'd duped her into believing he was attracted to her. He was pretty sure that, in her eyes, that was the worse of his two crimes.

"I told you", Palinurus gloated.

"Nobody likes to hear 'I told you so'", Jack said to him. "There's nothing worse than a braggart!"

One of the guards backhanded him across the mouth. Okay, that hurt, he thought as he wiped the blood away.

"He is my slave, My Lady", Palinurus continued. "I would have him back."

"I will buy him from you", Acquilina said quickly.

"He will be expensive", Palinurus grinned. This was better than he'd hoped.

"That is fine. I will pay your price but I will keep him."

"Then he is yours My Lady." The galley owner bowed and sat back down although his servants continued to hold Jack. Acquilina walked up to him.

"You will be punished!" she hissed. She reached out and with her nails scratched him viciously down one side of his face. It stung but he barely flinched.

"Yeah, but at least I don't have to keep our date!" he replied. As soon as the words left his mouth he wanted to bite his tongue. Why oh why did he always let it run away from him when he was in these situations? He could see Teal'c shaking his head.

She slapped him a good one and immediately called her own servants. "Bind him." They grabbed him and again he was thrown to the ground. This was definitely not doing his knee any good.

She turned to her audience. "I promised you the entertainment of seeing my slave punished for escaping. Well, even though he has gone again, I have a replacement for him. We will all get to enjoy the sight of Atticus here writhing in pain."

"Acquilina!" admonished her stepson. "Is this really necessary?" You go Cuchy!, said Jack silently. The more he saw the stepson the more he liked him.

"This is my property Acucio. You have no say in the matter." The young man appealed to the Magistrates who were there but all of them agreed with Acquilina. They couldn't interfere – it was her property, they said.

Giving an apologetic glance towards Jack Acucio sat down. Okay, you just went down in my esteem, thought Jack. The least you could do was fight for me.

By this time Jack had been hog-tied and thrown into the middle of the room. A rope had been tied around his neck. Using the end of that rope they tied his hands together behind his back. His legs were bent back at the knees and his wrists and ankles tied together. All in all, it was a very uncomfortable position. It got worse when Acquilina walked up and kicked him in the side. She then kneeled down and whispered in his ear.

"You wanted to learn how I treated my slaves? Well, now you will have first hand experience. I plan to do to you what I was going to do to Crispus. By the time I have finished, if you are still alive, you will be nothing but a pathetic piece of refuse."

Okay, that didn't sound good, he thought. Teal'c, anytime you want to break free and save me would be good. He tried to see his friend but his position prohibited much movement.

He could hear the guests begin to speak – and even heard some laughter – bastards! He wasn't sure what they were waiting for but was pretty sure it was bad. He idly wondered whether Atta had made it away – and how long it would take to get to the ship and back.

He heard movement and Acquilina's "finally". So not good, he realized. He was suddenly seized and flipped over onto his back. This was really uncomfortable with his legs and arms pulled behind him. He could feel the strain on his knees and shoulders – it grew steadily worse to the point he was feeling nauseous.

Acquilina walked over and looked down on him. She spit in his face, which was really yucky since he couldn't wipe it off. Then she began to speak.

"Do you know what we do to runaway slaves?"

"Ah not exactly", he croaked. It was hard to speak.

"We brand them." Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone approach. When he turned to look he could see a large, nasty looking man approach with what looked like a long branding iron. It was glowing red at the end.

"Uh – you really don't need to do that", he said, trying to pull back. "Really – wouldn't you much rather spend that afternoon together?" he pleaded. The metal rod grew closer to him until it was only inches away from his face. He was really sweating now, although ironically he was also freezing. Fear, he realized.

"Yes", she went on. "We will brand you on your face with this," she pointed to the brand. He could see what looked like the letters GUF. The detached part of his brain wondered what that meant – he wished Daniel was here.

The brand approached his face and he could hear his breathing hitch from fear. He tried to stop it but couldn't. His eyes were watering from the heat of the metal.

"I suggest you stay still or he may get your eyes – you wouldn't want to be blinded."

He whimpered at that – and hated himself for it. No, he couldn't go through that again. Just as the brand went to touch down on his forehead Acquilina spoke.

"Stop", she said softly. The man halted although the brand was still only centimeters away. He could actually feel his skin start to burn even though it hadn't touched him. He thought he heard Teal'c shouting in the background but was too shocked to really tell.

"I don't know if I want his pretty faced marked." She ruminated for a moment. "No", she must have motioned to the man with the iron because it moved away from his face. Just as he went to breath a sigh of relief it was placed on his chest. The surprise, shock and pain, made him jump and scream. The man continued to hold it there and soon he could smell the horrible odor of burnt flesh.

"Please!" he gasped out. "Stop!" He was whimpering again, too sick to scream any more. Just as he lost consciousness he was sure he heard Acquilina laugh.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Atta rode as fast as he could, knowing he only had a short window of opportunity before the ship left. If he could reach it in time he could bring back help – otherwise he was afraid O'Neo was lost.

They had been too confident, he realized. They should have made sure O'Neo was safe – or he should have left at the same time as the others. He prayed Palinurus didn't take him and return him to the galleys immediately. That would kill his friend.

By the time he could smell the ocean air his horse was getting winded. He was worried that he'd be too late. The instructions were to leave as soon as everyone was on board – and he had been behind them by quite a few minutes.

As he neared the dock he looked – the ship was gone.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"No, I will not."

"But Sam, that's what he ordered."

"I don't care Daniel. We are not leaving him. Anything could happen. In fact, on this planet I'd be surprised if it didn't."

Sam had a point there. This place had not been kind to Jack and anything could go wrong. Still – "Teal'c is with him and so are Atta and Petrus."

"I know – but _we're_ not with him Daniel. Sg1 isn't with him – at least not all of us. You know we have much better luck when we're together. I just have a feeling about this. I think we need to stay."

"But what if we're caught? You know we'll be recognized."

"We'll be careful. Come on Daniel – we can't leave the Colonel and Teal'c. We need to be there."

Daniel looked at her for a while and finally nodded. She was right. This was the time for Sg1 to be together. He didn't know why either, but he too felt like something was going to go wrong. Poor Jack had had too much to deal with and they had to make sure he got out of this in one piece.

"Okay Sam, I'll tell Arminius, but he's not going to like it." Daniel stood up and went over to the young man who had become their friend. As he explained what they wanted to do, he was shocked when Arminius simply nodded. Instead of arguing he declared that he was going with them.

"But what about the ship?" Daniel asked. Arminius then walked over to the Captain and had a brief conversation. A moment later he came back.

"When Crispus and the others arrive the Captain will take the ship down to a small cove about a mile south of here. It's well hidden and they can get away quickly if they see an Adrano ship approach. Our ships are much lighter and faster. We will go and retrieve O'Neo and the others if there is a problem and then we will ride to the ship."

"Okay." Daniel nodded.

"If everything is fine, we will make our way to the ship and leave O'Neo to join us tomorrow as planned. We will still have time to rendezvous at the pre-arranged spot with him."

"That sounds good. Thank you Arminius!" Daniel slapped him on the back. The other man grinned.

They waited until evening before pulling into the harbor and there waited for Crispus and his rescuers. It was a couple of hours before they heard the sound of a wagon approaching. They watched carefully and, when it arrived, they were thrilled to see their young friend.

As everyone came aboard Sam rushed up and hugged the young man who grunted.

"Oh, I'm sorry Crispus", she'd forgotten his wounds. He simply grinned at her.

"It is okay Samanta – I am fine."

"O'Neo and the others?" Daniel asked.

"Everything was okay when we left", one of the rescuers said. "There didn't appear to be any problems." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"You still think we should do this Sam?" Daniel asked.

"Yes. Until we're all safe we need to be there."

"Okay then, let's go." They briefly explained to the new arrivals what they were planning. A couple of the men who had helped Crispus escape insisted on coming with them.

"We will be quiet and stay out of the way unless needed." Gracus said. Daniel and Sam looked at each other but finally agreed. The more people the better.

With a quick 'goodbye' to a confused looking Crispus - Daniel, Sam, Arminius and two of the original rescuers climbed over the rail and lowered themselves into the small rowboat. They quickly headed towards land where they hid themselves – all except Arminius who jumped up into the abandoned wagon and turned towards the town. He was going to be the one to check and make sure Jack and the others were okay. He stopped for a moment to watch the ship sail away and then turned and signaled to the horse to move forward.

He'd only gone a few feet when a horse came racing up to the edge of the dock. Afraid it was someone in pursuit of the escaped slave, Arminius drew his sword. The horse pulled up beside the wagon.

"Atta!" he cried, recognizing the rider. "What are you doing here?" Sam and Daniel, hearing who it was, rushed out from their hiding place.

"You must come quickly. O'Neo is in danger. He had been discovered."

_**In Ancient Rome escaped (and caught) slaves were branded on the face with the letters FUG – which stood for Fugitivus (fugitive). It marked them forever as a slave and would prohibit them from trying to run again.**_

_**When Jack sees the brand, he sees GUF – as it would be in reverse on the iron but would show up as FUG on his skin.**_


	20. Id Imperfectum Manet Dum Confectum Erit

_**Id Imperfectum Manet Dum Confectum Erit– It Isn't Over Till It's Over **_

**_This is a bit shorter tonight but since yesterday's chapter was so long (sorry - I got carried away) - I'm going to keep it short. Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews everyone. Please know, they're REALLY why I keep writing!_**

"I knew it", Sam cried. "I knew something was wrong." She turned to Daniel. "We have to go _now_!"

Daniel looked up at Atta. "Is he still at Acquilina's?" he asked.

"Yes. Palinurus was there and recognized him – I don't know how. Come on – let's go." Without another comment Daniel jumped in the wagon. Sam, on the other hand, reached up to Atta.

"Take me with you. We'll go faster by horse, the wagon can follow."

"But - " he started to say when Sam interrupted.

"There's no time", she reached her hand up. "I'll ride behind you." With a shrug Atta reached down and helped her mount. It was a little difficult in her dress but she simply hitched it up. "Let's go."

"Are you sure about this?" he shouted as they raced through the streets. "You're going to be recognized."

"We'll just have to get in and out quickly then. They won't be expecting a rescue." She answered, leaning forward so he could hear. "And anyway, Daniel and the others are right behind us. What about Teal'c and Petrus?"

"Teal'c was captured and is being held. Petrus was keeping out of sight but hadn't been discovered by the time I left."

"What do you think will happen to Jack?"

"Well, I expect Acquilina is going to be very angry. It will depend on whether she lets Palinurus take him or whether she wants to deal with him herself."

Sam was quiet after that, letting Atta concentrate on getting to Acquilina's Villa quickly. She couldn't help but worry. She knew, from her time as a slave, what happened to those who tried to escape. She just prayed that they didn't plan on maiming him as sometimes happened.

They arrived soon at the Villa and Atta pulled his horse into a dark alley a few houses away.

"Stay here", he instructed. "I'm going to make sure no one is watching the outside." Although Sam wanted to rush in she knew that it was more prudent to wait, even though she wanted to scream with impatience.

After a few minutes Atta returned with Petrus in his wake. "I found him outside – he was waiting for us."

"What's happening?" asked Sam.

"When I left they'd just discovered that O'Neo was a slave. They took off his tunic and saw his scars; scars only a slave would have."

"Damn!" Sam hissed. "Is there any way we can get inside and get him out?"

"There are too many people. All the guests are still there and many of them are soldiers and magistrates. Besides that there are all the other slaves. They will most likely help Acquilina out of fear."

Sam stood thinking for a minute. She was an expert at getting her team out of tricky situations. How to do it now without any supplies?" Finally she turned to Atta and Petrus, who were looking at her quizzically.

"A diversion." She muttered.

"Pardon?" asked Atta.

"A diversion. We need to create a diversion – but how?" She looked around the alley to see if there was anything she could use. Damn, but she wished she had some C-4 right now! Either that or she wished she were MacGyver. She spared a thought for one of her favorite TV shows from the 80's. She'd had a terrible crush on the actor who played him. She smiled slightly to herself – he was nowhere near as good-looking or as sexy as the Colonel.

She continued to look around when it hit her. What was one of the things ancient societies feared the most? …. Fire! There, in the corner, was a huge stack of what looked like old crates and barrels. There was also some broken furniture – perfect.

"Help me stack that up just inside Acquilina's garden – by the back shed. We'll light it on fire", she explained, as she began to grab some of the broken pieces. With a grin and a nod the two men began moving the wood as quickly as they could.

As soon as it was stacked Sam motioned to Atta to follow her into the Villa. She had one advantage – she'd lived here for months and knew every room in the building. She turned back to Petrus. "Stay out of sight and wait 10 minutes – then light the fire." He signaled that he'd heard and faded in behind the shed. Sam and Atta snuck through the door and down a small, dark hall.

"This leads to a small pantry at the side of the banquet room", she said. "It's not used anymore since they built the new kitchen. They only store old dishes and furniture in there. We should be able to at least hear what's going on." The two continued quietly, making sure no one heard them.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

An ice cold bucket of water poured over his head was always a sure way to wake him up, thought Jack. Unfortunately, it had worked again. With a sigh he opened his eyes.

"Crap", he groaned "I'd hoped you were a nightmare." Acquilina was looking down at him, a venomous look on her face.

"Good, you are awake. I wouldn't want you to miss the next part of our demonstration."

"Please, I'd be happy to miss it." He was trying desperately to appear nonchalant when in actual fact the pain was so bad he really wanted to scream. Burns were the worst, he knew – and this was a bad one. He could still smell the sickening odor of burnt flesh – _his_ burnt flesh.

"Ah, but my guests would be so disappointed."

"Not really Acquilina", interjected Acucio. "Is this necessary?"

"YES", she screamed. "I told you, this is my property and I will do what I want with it."

"Not property", whispered O'Neill.

She looked down on him and sneered. "No, I can see that you are a free-man Atticus, or whatever your real name is. Why don't you get up and walk away?"

"Sure, just do me a favor" he gasped, "and undo these ropes and then I'll be out of your hair – whoops no, I guess it's not really your hair is it? I'll be gone in no time though."

"Enough!" she cried. "You", she pointed to two of her male slaves. "Untie him." Jack would have been relieved at this but expected it was not, in fact, a positive thing. No, he figured this was only going to get worse.

He knew very well what happened to escaped slaves. As much as the brand hurt – and it hurt like hell – he was grateful they hadn't burned his face. The trouble was, this was actually the least of the punishments he could expect.

It was pretty common, he knew, for slaves to be horribly maimed when they were caught. In fact, they often had bits and pieces (sometimes pretty big pieces) chopped off. Considering what Acquilina thought he'd done to her he was pretty worried about _which_ bits she might cut off.

The slaves cut the ropes that were binding him and he immediately fell flat on his face, his muscles frozen from having been bound. He knew his arms and legs would soon start to burn when the blood returned. Before he had a chance to experience that however, his arms were pulled to the front. He wasn't quite sure what was going to happen until they brought out a wooden block. He was forced to kneel in front of it and one of the slaves then grabbed his arms and pulled them over the block and hung onn. He tried to pull away but he wasn't strong enough, especially in his now weakened condition.

"Uh, what are you going to do?" he asked Acquilina, although he was afraid he knew.

"You _dared_ touch me!" she shrieked. "You, a filthy slave! Well, you will never touch anyone again. I am going to have your hands cut off, and then I will tie them around your neck for an example to everyone. After that I will have your tongue removed. It bothers me."

Oh God no, he moaned to himself. He desperately tried to pull his arms back and then he could hear himself start to plead and beg – even though he hated himself for doing it. But he would rather die than have them do this to him. How could he survive without his hands?

"Now", Acquilina said softly to her slave. The poor man looked at the prisoner in front of him with pity, but he knew he had no choice. He picked up the axe lying beside him and raised it over his head. Closing his eyes and saying a short prayer to his Gods, he brought it down with all his might – knowing a quick, clean cut was the most merciful.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Can you see anything?" whispered Atta. Sam was peaking through a hole in the little pantry. It was hard to see much with all the people milling about.

"Not yet", she whispered back. "Wait", was that Jack she saw on the ground? She looked more closely and, sure enough, there he was. He was hog-tied, which she knew must be killing his knee, but otherwise he seemed okay. The more she looked however, the more she noticed that he seemed – off – somehow. Maybe it was just being tied up but he looked as if something were wrong.

"I see him. He's tied up but looks okay, I think. At least I don't think he's badly injured."

"Not yet", murmured Atta. Sam glared at him and he returned an apologetic look. She turned and looked back through the hole. A couple of minutes later she saw them cut his bonds and he fell to the floor. He didn't move at first – hopefully he was just stiff from being bound up.

She could hear the old bitch instructing her men to pick him up and she watched as they made him kneel in front of something. She didn't know what was happening but knew she had to get out there, and quick. The problem was there was no exit from this room into the banquet hall. Just as she went to turn to the corridor she took one final look. What she saw just about stopped her heart. She saw a man lift an axe while Jack was held down, his arms placed on the wooden block. She turned and frantically ran to the door.

"Fire", someone screamed.

He would be forever grateful for that scream, thought Jack. The sound had frightened both the axe-bearer as well as the man holding his arms. He had been able to jerk his arms back, just at the axe descended. It probably wouldn't have removed his hands even then, he realized – although it probably would have taken off some of his fingers. The noise had caused the slave to move slightly as he lowered the axe.

At first everyone was in shock but, almost immediately, the crowd began to panic. Most of them turned to flee but were trapped by a number of men who swarmed into the room brandishing swords. They could all continue to hear the screams and shouts from slaves outside. Everyone was terrified that they would be trapped and burned alive. Soon, men and women, panicking, tried to force their way forward and a fight ensued.

Sam managed to press her way through the crowd and ran up to where Jack was lying on the ground.

"Jack", she cried as she reached him. Thank God, she thought. The diversion had saved him!

He managed to push himself up and then he reached out and grabbed Sam. Throwing his arms around her he pulled her to him frantically and then held on tightly. She could tell he was shaking uncontrollably and she could barely breath from his tight hold, but she simply returned his embrace. It reminded her of the time she'd released him from cryogenic chamber after he'd been 'goa'ulded' by Hathor. It was worse now, however, as they were still in danger.

"What are you doing!" yelled Acquilina. She ignored the chaos in the room and the continued shouts of 'fire'. She was obsessed with wanting revenge on this man who had tricked her – who had thrown her desire back into her face. She looked at the woman with Atticus and wondered who she was.

"Are you okay Jack?" Sam finally asked as she felt his shaking lessen slightly. She leaned back and could see that he was white and looked ill. She hadn't noticed any blood but realized suddenly that he wasn't wearing a shirt. She could also smell something strange – something burnt. It was then she noticed the terrible wound on his chest. "Oh God. What happened?" she cried.

"Brand", he said shortly. He didn't think he could say anymore. He was suddenly icy cold and was pretty sure he was going into shock.

"Who are you girl?" Acquilana reached out and grabbed the woman's veil to pull her back off Atticus. She ended up simply pulling the material off Sam and suddenly she was looking down at a head of short, golden hair. "It is you!" she cried triumphantly. Now she had two slaves to punish!

Sam looked at her for a short second, remembering the fear and helplessness she'd experienced while in the 'service' of this horrible woman. Something snapped in her and without any further thought she reached back and then slammed her fist in Acquilina's nose. The satisfying 'crunch' made her smile.

"That is for all the times you had me beaten!" she looked at the woman had fallen to the ground and whose nose was now bleeding copiously. With a roar Acquilina stood up and tried to strike the young woman in front of her.

"How dare you!" she screamed. "You will die horribly for this! No one _ever_ touches me!" Sam stepped aside as Acquilina flew forward, which just enraged her former mistress all the more.

The woman standing here now was not a lowly slave. She was an Air Force Major – and a woman highly trained in hand-to-hand combat. She knew Acquilina was no match for her. She also knew that this situation was extremely dangerous if any of those present stopped panicking and realized what was going on.

Fortunately, no one did. As Lady Acquilina continued to try and attack her everyone was still attempting to leave, terrified of being burnt alive. The men who had entered were now actually helping people out of the room, knowing that the fewer who remained, the better.

As Sam fought she knew she it would be easy to beat this woman to a pulp – and kill her if she wanted to – but she restrained herself. At least she restrained herself _somewhat_! The murderous bitch, who had been responsible for so much and pain and suffering, deserved to feel a little herself, thought Sam.

It was when she reached up and grabbed the woman's wig (_my_ hair, thought Sam) and pulled it off, that she knew she had delivered the ultimate blow. The woman had practically no hair of her own. What was there was sparse and pure white – and looked like it was coming out in tufts. Sam stopped and froze. Acquilina cried out and grabbed a cloth to wrap around her head.

"What have you done?" she screeched. "You will die if I have to kill you myself!" Sam just looked at the pathetic woman, her head wrapped in what looked like a tablecloth, her clothes ripped and her face bruised and bloody.

"I don't think so", answered Sam calmly. "In fact, I think you'd better sit down and shut up!" She took Acquilina's arm and forced her to sit on one of the couches. The feeble and beaten woman just sat there and sobbed.

Sam immediately felt a presence behind her and looked up, startled, to see a young man standing there. At first worried, she relaxed when he smiled pleasantly at her.

"I've been wanting to do that for years", he said happily to her. "I don't know who you are, but I suggest you and your friends leave before everyone realizes there really isn't a fire and they return to capture you."

She stared for a moment, surprised at the young man's words, but then returned his smile. "Thank you. I think that's a good idea." She looked around the room and could see her 'men', herding the last of the guests and slaves out of the room. She was relieved to see Daniel helping the Colonel. He was sitting up, thank heavens, she thought. Hopefully he's be fine.

"Who are you?" she asked the young man quickly, as she turned to leave.

"I am Acucio. This one", he pointed at a sobbing Acquilina, "is my stepmother."

"Really?" So this was the son of the man whom Acquilina had poisoned. "Uh, thank you." Starting to walk away she looked down one last time at her former 'owner'. "What's going to happen to her?" she asked.

"Acquilina? Unfortunately, she doesn't have long to live." He smiled again. He had a lovely smile, she thought. "I'm afraid hair loss is one of the signs of arsenic poisoning. I'm afraid it won't be long now."

Sam stared at him for a minute, a cold shiver running down her spine. So much for the pleasant young man theory, she decided. She gave a quick insincere smile and then hurried over to where Daniel and Teal'c were supporting a wobbly Jack.

"Let's get out of here."

"Kay", slurred Jack. "Good idea Carter. Ya always … have good … ideas." His eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he passed out. Teal'c simply grabbed him and slung him over his shoulder.

"I suggest we leave quickly, Major Carter."

"I hear ya Teal'c. Let's move out everybody", she shouted to those men who were with them. They very quickly made their way towards the rear of the house.

The banquet room was quiet now, only the soft sounds of a sobbing Acquilina. Acucio stood, looking around at the room which would soon be his. He suddenly raised an eyebrow in surprise when he noticed a body lying in a corner of the room. He walked slowly over and looked down at the corpse of Palinurus. The man's neck had been broken – clearly by someone of great strength. With another lovely smile Acucio turned and walked back to the banquet table. Picking up a glass of wine he gave a small, silent toast to escaped slaves.

Sam took a deep breath as they left the Villa. That was a place she hoped never to see again! She and her companions then made their way to the wagon. Once everyone was in Teal'c laid Jack down gently, his head in Sam's lap. Arminius took the reins and they headed to the ship.

As they sailed away from Adrano later that night, all safe and accounted for, Sam couldn't help but reflect on what had happened. She acknowledged that the experience had been extremely cathartic. Oh, she felt horrible that Jack had _again_ been hurt, but at the same time she felt – cleansed – of the stain of slavery. Normally she didn't enjoy violence and only resorted to it for self-defense or in battle situations. This time, she looked at her bruised knuckles, this time she'd gotten immense pleasure from hitting another human being. Maybe she was terrible – but she would always remember that wonderful 'crunch' as she broke Acquilina's nose!

"How is he?" Daniel came and squatted beside her. She was holding a cold cloth over the burn on Jack's chest. The rest of the man was wrapped in blankets and his feet were raised up. He _had_ been suffering from shock.

"I think he's a little better, although it's a bad burn. I'm worried about infection. Atta tells me they have some medicine that should help but it's going to take a couple of days to get back by boat and then over land."

"He will be fine, Major Carter." Teal'c had walked over and sat down beside Daniel.

"I know Teal'c, but he's had so much to deal with already. How much more does he have to suffer? Doesn't he deserve something good to happen for once?"

"Indeed Major Carter. Indeed he does."

Silence fell over the foursome as Sam continued to tend to Jack. She might have been suspicious about what her two other two teammates were up to if she had glanced at them at that moment. They were looking at each other and both had small smiles on their faces. Teal'c nodded his head once, slowly – Daniel grinned.


	21. Brydealu

For a brief, terrified moment he thought he was back on the galleys. The swaying of the boat brought back those awful memories. Fortunately, it didn't take long for him to realize that they would _not_ have let him lay down nor would they have given him a soft pillow for his head.

He slowly opened his eyes and immediately sighed, not just in relief, but in pleasure. The soft pillow was his _favorite_ pillow – and not just to feel, but to look at too!

Sam didn't realize he'd woken up and continued to doze. He allowed himself a few seconds of pure joy as he looked up at her – okay, so he shouldn't be looking at _that_ but hey, he was just a simple guy and they were practically in his face! Life had been hard for the last few months so sue him for taking a bit of pleasure in two of the most beautiful – !

"Colonel! You're awake."

He started in guilt and could feel his neck get red. "Uh yeah", he was surprised at how weak his voice sounded. It was probably connected to the fact that his chest was killing him. Now that he couldn't distract himself with that vision the pain came back in full force.

"How are you feeling Sir?" she asked.

"Okay. Where are we?" He looked around, not surprised to find they were on a boat; thankfully not on a galley.

"We're on Germanicus' ship. We got away from Adrano and we're on out way back to his home."

"Oh" The pain was really starting to bother him. "Ow", he yelped as he tried to stretch, hoping a change in position would help.

"Just stay still Colonel. You've been wounded and need to rest."

"Wounded?" he looked down and grimaced. "Yeah – I remember that." He suddenly had a panic attack and lifted his arms. Oh thank God, his hands were still there. That was actually the last thing he remembered. He turned to Sam. "What -?"

"We created a diversion and the guests all fled. We could then get you out of there."

"Diversion?"

"We started a fire."

A vague memory of hearing someone shout 'fire' came to him along with the realization that that's what had saved his hands at the very last second. He looked up and gave a small smile. "Thanks!" He knew it had been her idea. "That's my Major!" he closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. For the next few hours he drifted in and out, the pain making it impossible to rest for long.

By the time they reached land Jack could tell he had developed a fever. He wasn't surprised, knowing how bad burns could be. Oh well, he reasoned, as they carried him off the boat, at least he was free.

It was a few days before he was lucid enough to remember much more than feeling like crap. He did remember his team – they stuck with him through the whole thing. In fact, he was pretty sure that Sam was there every time he woke up. Finally, the fourth day after they got back, he opened his eyes and realized he was starting to feel better.

He turned his head, sensing someone there, and saw Sam asleep on a chair beside his bed. She looked exhausted but beautiful. He noticed that she no longer wore that awful veil. Her hair was short but looked quite cute. He grinned – with that short hair she looked almost like a young girl.

Sensing someone's eyes on her Sam slowly opened her own. Half asleep, she simply looked back at Jack. They must have stared at each other for almost a minute before she started and sat back, slightly embarrassed.

"Colonel, how are you."

He was _really_ tired of that question. "I think I'm – having a relapse Major", he answered.

"What!" she asked worriedly. She stood up and rushed over to the bed. She reached down to feel his forehead when he caught her hand and grinned. She looked blankly at him for a minute and then he could see her start to turn red. Oops, he may have just made her a teeny bit mad.

She grabbed her hand back and glared at him. He looked sheepish and started to apologize.

"I'm sorry Major. I'm just – tired of being sick." Did he look pathetic enough, he wondered?

"Hmmm. Well Sir, I was thinking we'd try to sit you up today and bring you some solid food, but you're obviously not ready for it. I think you need to rest a bit more. I'll have one of the servants bring you some porridge."

"Wait, no!" he called as she walked to the door. "I was just kidding Major!"

"No Sir, we can't be too careful." With a knowing grin she walked out, closing the door softly behind her. He groaned, not in pain this time, but in frustration, knowing he'd just done it to himself.

He was pretty sure he heard laughter coming from the hall but then decided that Carter would never be that mean.

"How's he doing Sam?" Daniel asked as Sam came into the big hall.

"Oh, I think he's doing fine."

"Is Teal'c with him?"

"No, he's all by himself."

"What? You left him?"

"Yeah", she grinned. "He deserved it! It'll do him good to lay there a while with no one to complain to."

"You're being mean!" But Daniel grinned at her. He knew what Jack was like and sympathized with Sam. He was also happy, knowing that her leaving him meant he was out of any danger.

Carter finally relented, for which Jack was extremely grateful. He got bored just lying there. He'd tried to get up but was still weak.

"I don't know why I feel like this", he groused to Teal'c. "It's not like I was shot or stabbed or anything."

"You had an infection O'Neill. Major Carter indicated it was serious."

"But I'm okay now – and I want to get out of this damn bed!"

Fortunately, to the relief of everyone who visited him, his 'doctor' (Carter) allowed him up that afternoon. The pain was pretty much gone but now he was going insane with the itching. He got no sympathy, however, as his friends looked happy whenever he mentioned it. All they'd say was 'good, it means it's healing'! Aaargh!

"So, when are we heading home?" Daniel wondered. The four teammates were sitting outside enjoying the warmth of the day. Jack felt almost back to normal even thought his knee still gave him trouble. His chest was a lot better but he refused to look at the scar. Daniel had tried to tell him what the letters meant but he'd plugged his ears and hummed. He really, really didn't want to know.

"I was thinking by the end of the week", replied Jack. All of them were quiet from a combination of excitement and sadness. Their time here had been hard, with lots of pain and suffering, but they'd also made good friends and had thought they were going to spend their lives here.

"We will miss you Samanta", Maya's face bore an expression of sadness. "You have become a good friend, as have the others. I hope your journey home is safe."

"Thank you Maya", Sam leaned forward and gave her friend a hug. "And remember what I told you. Women are the equal of men! Don't take any nonsense from any of them!"

"I will not!" the other woman laughed. "Germanicus already complains he can no longer tell me what to do – that you have 'corrupted' me." They both laughed, knowing that Maya's husband worshipped the ground she walked on. She'd already had him wrapped around her finger a long time ago.

"Samanta, I came to ask if you would go for a final ride with Alarice and myself. We would be pleased to have you accompany us one more time."

Sam had started going with the other women for a daily ride, enjoying getting out and feeling the wind blowing through her hair. It was calming for her and reminded her of her running – something she could not do in the women's clothes she had to wear. She hadn't been all that good a rider but her skills had improved immensely. Jack - the Colonel - had even watched her one day and had bowed and clapped when she returned. She felt insanely pleased at that, knowing how good a rider he was.

"I would be pleased to Maya. Let me put my riding dress on." So, accompanied by Maya, Alarice and a manservant they headed out for a short ride.

Jack was sitting looking out the window, thinking about his time here and what it would be like when they returned home. They were all nervous over what they would find when they returned. Somehow there was a niggling feeling that something bad could have happened to the earth in their absence, even though they all knew it was unlikely.

"It's kind of like going on vacation and being worried that you'll come home to have your house robbed.", Daniel had commented.

Still – there was a large part of Jack that was also excited. He couldn't wait to have a large cold beer and a pizza, kick his feet back and watch TV. Yeah, he thought, home was good.

"O'Neo, O'Neo", someone was shouting. He stood up quickly, hearing the panic in the person's voice. Suddenly Atta ran into the room.

"O'Neo, come quickly."

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"It is Samanta. She has been taken."

"Taken?" Jack stared at him, thoughts of Acquilina having come to capture her looming in his brain. "How was she taken?"

"It was the Menari. They have stolen her." Just then Teal'c and Daniel ran in after having heard the commotion.

"The Menari? Who the hell are the Menari?"

"They're a tribe Jack", Daniel explained. "One of the tribes of the Alemanni. They're nomadic – herders. Some of them fought with us."

"How the hell do you know these things Jackson", Jack snapped. "_Why_ would you know these things?" Without waiting for an answer he turned back to Atta. "What does that mean? Why was she taken?"

"The Menari are, as Danihel said, a nomadic tribe. We generally have little trouble with them but occasionally they will steal from us; cattle, sheep, women. That is what has happened."

"Are you telling me that you're equating women – Sam – with a cow?"

"No, no , that is not what I meant. I mean they sometimes will steal our women. Not often but it has happened."

"Why?" Jack was breathing hard, livid with anger and fear.

"For a bride."

"_**What!"**_

Atta backed away; worried that O'Neo might hit him. He was only the messenger, he wanted to shout. "When a man wants to take a bride and they have no single women available the Menari will sometimes steal one from another tribe."

"How the hell did they get in here to steal her?"

"They did not. Samanta was riding with Maya and Alarice. My manservant accompanied them but my wife said there were too many of them and he could do nothing."

"The didn't steal Alarice? What about Maya?"

"No, both of them were released. They recognized them – knew that they were both married, so they let them go. They kept only Samanta."

"God!" Jack ran his hands through his hair. "Let's go then. Get as many men as you can Atta and give us some weapons and horses. We'll go get her back."

"No O'Neo, that is not the way."

"What! What the hell are you saying? There's no way we're leaving her. If you won't help then Daniel, Teal'c and I will go."

"I do not mean that. Of course we must go but we must not use violence. They will not harm her and it is best that we try to trade for her."

"Won't _harm_ her? They're going to give her to some guy as a trophy bride and you don't think they'll harm her."

"Not right away O'Neo. They will at least wait until this evening. We have at least until then. Come, we will go now. I will have some men standing by in case we cannot get her back peacefully."

Somewhat appeased Jack followed Atta, accompanied by Teal' and Daniel.

"I'm sure she'll be okay Jack. Remember what happened the last time someone tried this with her. She whipped their ass good!"

"Yeah", Jack smiled faintly. "She is pretty good at looking after herself. I don't think they know what they've gotten themselves into." He felt a bit better, knowing they had some time, but he still worried. Why did something else have to happen just as they were leaving for home?

In the end it was just Germanicus, Atta and the three men of Sg1 who traveled to the Menari camp. A man who was most likely the tribal chief welcomed them cheerfully.

"Just be calm O'Neo", cautioned Germanicus. "We don't want to offend them."

"Not _offend_ them? They just stole Sam! I think we're the ones who should be offended."

"Jack", warned Daniel. "Just let Germanicus handle things okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Hello my friend Bastarnae", Germanicus went up to the 'Chief' and embraced him. The other man grinned and slapped him on the back.

"Welcome! It is many months since I have seen you Germanicus. I hear you have been busy defeating our enemy the Adrano?"

"Yes, with the help of this man", he pointed to Jack. The chief – Bastardey? - came over and hugged him as well. He had a brief desire to toss the man on his ass but he caught Daniel's eye just at the last moment. His friend glared and shook his head. Damn – he was so close.

"You are welcome as well. Come, you must eat." He went to lead them to a large tent when Germanicus stopped him.

"I am here for another reason my friend." The Chief looked at him innocently but Jack knew the man knew damn well why there were there. He was a sneaky devil!

"And what might that be?" he asked.

"You took one of my women and we would like her back. You had no right to take her."

"She was not on your lands Germanicus. She was in the free range and therefore mine for the taking."

What the hell did he think she was, wondered Jack, a flower that he could just take? "Uh, you can't just steal people."

Atta shushed him and the old man looked at him, puzzled. "Yes I can – as long as we do not go on his property. That is the deal we made, is it not Germanicus."

The prince looked sheepish but nodded. "I am afraid that is so, O'Neo." When Jack looked like he was going to attack, Germanicus turned quickly back to the Chief. "But the woman you stole does not belong to me. She is with these men."

Bastarnae looked at them and shrugged. "She belongs to me now. I need another wife and she looks like a good breeder – strong, healthy. I will keep her."

"No you won't!" shouted Jack. "She's not yours – she's mine!"

"Uh – Jack", Daniel said warningly. "If Sam hears you you're gonna be in trouble."

"You know what I mean Danny", O'Neal said impatiently. "Anyway, that's what these guys understand."

The chief interrupted, looking worried. "Do you mean she is your Cwene?"

Jack looked confused but Daniel poked him and whispered. "Just say yes."

"Uh – yes. She's my queenie!" he smiled.

"My humble apologies!" cried the Chief. "I did not know." He looked at Germanicus and bowed his head. "I entreat you dear Germanicus, do not hold me accountable for this mistake. I did not know this."

"It's okay Bastarnae, as long as we get the woman back."

The Chief began to nod but, looking at Jack, suddenly appeared suspicious. "Are you sure she is Cwene?"

"Yes, definitely", answered Daniel.

Jack leaned over and whispered. "What does that _mean_ Jackson?"

"Uh, I don't know Jack. I think maybe it means she's a member of your tribe or something."

"Yes, definitely, she's a queenie all right." Jack smiled at the Chief. "She's definitely part of my tribe."

"Your tribe?" asked the Chief, surprised. "I did not realize." He turned back to the prince. "To show our regret for the mistake we will provide the mitgift and hold the brydealu."

"No, no my friend – that is too much. We cannot ask that of you."

"But I insist." He looked at the men in front of him and then turned to Jack. "Come, we must prepare you."

"Prepare me? What is he talking about?" He turned to Atta and Germanicus. "What the hell is going on?"

"Ah - O'Neo", Atta walked up to him and whispered in his ear. "If you want Samanta back you must go along with this. It is nothing bad, I assure you."

"Okay, but what _is_ it?"

"It is a brydealu."

"Yeah, that's what _he_ said", he pointed to the Chief who was looking even more suspicious. "But what does it mean?"

"Well, it roughly translates into – uh, betrothal."

"Be – _what_? What is this? What's going on?" Daniel walked over to him, worried that the Chief was going to back out of his offer.

"He believes Samanta is your betrothed, that is why he is willing to let her go. If you argue he may no longer believe us and will try and keep her", Atta was speaking quickly under his breath, also worried about the Chief. "Just smile and agree."

Jack looked back at his friends and scowled. He really didn't like this. "And all I have to do is attend a party? That's all?"

"Yes O'Neo, that is all. The Chief simply wants to take you and have you wash up, nothing more."

"You're sure?"

"Yes O'Neo, I am sure."

"Okay", he turned to the Chief. "Sorry about that", he said cheerfully, "I'm new around here – just wasn't sure of the customs." The Chief nodded shortly, not looking too happy.

"Follow me." He turned back to Germanicus. "Please, accept my hospitality and have food and drink. My wife will attend to you."

"I thought he wanted Sam as his wife", Jack muttered.

"They're _polygamists_ Jack", Daniel said, trying to keep Jack quiet. "Just don't say anything okay? I'm afraid you're going to get us all in trouble.

"All right, all right", he said as he followed the Chief out. "I still think he's greedy!"

Sam was sitting in the tent, one of the men of the tribe guarding the entrance. She didn't know what was going on but was really starting to get angry. She'd been grabbed off her horse and brought to these people's camp. Maya and Alarice had both called to her, telling her not to worry, that they were getting help. Well, she was ready for that help any time now!

She hadn't been harmed. In fact, she'd been treated well other than not being allowed to leave. Some of the women had come by offering food and drink. A while ago they'd brought in basins and helped her to wash. Well actually they'd wanted to wash her but she'd refused. Instead she'd let them hold the towels.

Once she was clean they'd laid out a beautiful gown. It was a shimmering pink with what looked like gold threads shot throughout. It fit her bodice tightly and then flared out below her breasts. There were silk ties that the women twisted around her under the bodice and then tied in back. One of the women tried to do her hair but there wasn't much to work with, much to the woman's dismay. They weren't used to short hair on a woman. All they could do was thread a gold ribbon through the short locks.

By the end Sam felt quite glamorous but also rather worried. This reminded her of that other time when she'd been dressed up like this (although this dress was much prettier). She hoped they weren't planning to give her to the old chief as a prize!

After a couple of hours she heard the sounds of horses arriving and could hear men talking, but wasn't able to tell who it was. She prayed the Colonel or some of Germanicus' men would arrive soon to rescue her.

Another hour passed until someone entered the tent. It was an older woman – who looked as if she were important if her clothes were any indication. The woman smiled and signaled to her to come with her.

As they passed outside Sam could see that the sun was starting to set. The tribe all seemed to be gathered around a fire and there were lots of smiles and nods as she walked by. Uh oh, this wasn't looking good.

It wasn't until she'd almost arrived to where the Chief was standing that she noticed the man dressed in an exotic looking costume. It was deep blue, also with gold threads. The pants were flared and he wore a tunic that crossed in front and tied in back, leaving his arms bare. He has a nice body, she thought to herself. At that moment she raised her eyes and stared in shock at a very uncomfortable looking Jack O'Neill.

"Sir!" she exclaimed. What was he doing here – and especially wearing those clothes? She looked over to see Daniel, Teal'c, Germanicus and his brother. They were all smiling at her.

"What's going on?" she asked, turning to the Colonel.

"Uh – well, the Chief here stole you because he wanted to marry you but we told him you were my queenie and so they're having a party – they call it a bigdealoo – and then we're going home."

"Your _queenie?_ What does that mean and what's a – a big deal oo?" Fortunately Daniel stepped forward. She pretty much figured she wasn't going to get a clear answer from the Colonel.

"Hi Sam", he smiled at her. "You see, the tribe here are accustomed to stealing women for brides – that's why you were taken. But when we got here we explained that you were already betrothed to – uh Jack – and to say sorry for the mistake they decided to hold a party – a brydealu – for you."

"And what's that?" she asked, her face crinkled in puzzlement.

"Kind of a bridal shower Sam. You just have to look happy and stick by Jack's side for a while and then we can go."

"Oh". She glanced at Jack and had to restrain a giggle. He looked _so_ uncomfortable in the blue pajamas. Daniel was going to torment him endlessly about this! Although now that she thought about it, she was probably going to get her share of teasing too. She admitted to herself that she was pretty uncomfortable over this situation herself.

"Okay", she turned to the Colonel. "Uh, thanks for doing this Sir. I was a bit worried there for a while."

"No problem Major", he answered, pulling desperately on his pants. The damn things kept wanting to get stuck up his - "

"Come, you must stand here", the Chief interrupted his thought. With a shrug he gestured for Sam to go ahead of him and they went and stood in front of Bastarnae. A woman, probably one of his wives, thought Jack, walked up with a bowl. The Chief lifted a brush from the bowl and proceeded to paint something on each of their faces.

"Wonder what this is?" whispered Jack but he was immediately 'shooshed'. He shrugged again and let them paint his face.

Next a clay goblet was brought and the Chief gave it to him and motioned that he was to drink. He only took a tiny sip, suspicious of alien drinks. He was then instructed to give some to Sam.

"Just a tiny bit Major", he whispered. She nodded and barely touched the liquid with her mouth.

Finally, the Chief took the goblet back and smashed it at their feet. With that the tribe erupted in shouts and laughter. The next thing they knew Sam and Jack were made to sit on some cushions and the party really started.

It seemed to go on forever, thought Jack. As soon as he saw Germanicus and Atta partaking of the food and wine he decided he might as well give it a try. Soon, the wine went to his head and he was enjoying himself immensely – especially every time he looked at Sam.

He leaned over and whispered to her – in a very loud whisper – tha' dress is _very_ sessy Sam", he laughed. "Sessy Sam – that's you!"

She looked at him strangely, realizing he was drunk. She couldn't help but grin. It was rare to see the Colonel so relaxed. She herself was feeling pretty relaxed, although she'd tried to be somewhat careful.

"What the hell Sam", she said softly to herself. "Why not let yourself go and have fun for once!" With that she took a big gulp of wine.

He groaned – his head hurt and his mouth felt like a sewer. What had happened? Had he been beaten up _again?_ This was getting ridiculous! He rolled over, right into another body.

"Wha?" he groaned. "Who's that?" He pushed the body, which didn't move. He tried it again and heard a soft moan. Finally, the body moved, but instead of rolling away it rolled right into him and half on top of him.

"Hey!" he called. Whoever it was refused to move so he lowered his arms and tried to pick the person up and off of him.

At that moment he realized that he had his hands full of soft, warm, _naked_ very female flesh. With a sudden gulp – and feeling like his heart was about to leap out of his mouth and run for the hills – he pulled back the blanket that covered her face.

It was Sam.

He flopped back down, with her still on top of him - only to realize that he too was naked.

"Daniel, Teal'c" he muttered. "When I catch you – you are both _so _dead!"

**_Mitgift - dowery_**

**_Brydealu - betrothal/wedding_**


	22. Oriens Secundum

_**oriens secundum – the morning after**_

_**Pure fluff**_

He tried to wake her up a few times but all she did was mumble and clutch him more tightly. Even in sleep she seemed determined not to be moved, her subconscious feeling safe and cared for in her current position.

After a bit Jack simply sighed, resigned, and put his arms around her. Wiggling a bit to get more comfortable he finally decided to go back to sleep. His head was aching and his mind felt foggy and neither his physical nor mental states made it a good time to try and figure anything out. And, if there was a part of him that was happy, that enjoyed the present situation – well, who was to know?

She felt warm, comfortable and safe, a feeling she very much liked. With a little moan she snuggled deeper, knowing that she was where she should be. The sensation of warmth soothed all the aches, pains and traumas her mind and body had suffered. Yes, Sam Carter was exactly where she wanted to be, exactly where she needed to be.

"Sam?" a beloved voice spoke in her ear. Yes, this was right, she thought. All her senses were engaged in the present. She felt him, she heard his voice and his heart, she smelled his unique yet male scent. Wait? What about sight? She couldn't see him and she knew she had to – had to make totally sure that every part of her recognized him. She opened her eyes, just a crack. Yes, this was him; she recognized the muscled chest with its smattering of hair. She could also see the edge of the horrific burn he'd received. She hated knowing he'd suffered but was glad she could see him. She closed her eyes.

Yes, she thought – all her senses proved it was him – and told her that this was right. She paused. Something was wrong. She thought hard, or at least as hard as she could with a brain that felt like mush. Hmmm just a second – all her senses? She thought for a bit longer. No, she'd left something out. What was it? Taste – that was it! She had to taste him.

Her mind at that moment was somewhere in between being awake and asleep. Her scientific brain had crossed and gotten all mixed up with her emotions and she had to know, scientifically, that this was him. So, for the experiment to be complete, for all empirical data to be in, she had to complete her tests. That meant taste.

Without further thought she turned her head so that her lips touched him. She then opened her mouth and slowly, carefully licked his skin. It tasted salty – but oh, so good. Yes, she sighed as she snuggled closer; all her tests proved it. It _was_ him and she was definitely where she should be.

Jack couldn't figure out what was going on. He looked down at her, puzzled by her behavior. He was pretty sure she was awake but he'd watched her rub her head against him, then 'sniff' him and finally – she'd licked him. It was very odd behavior and he didn't quite know what to make of it. He wondered if she were still drunk? But why that would make her lick him he didn't know.

"Sam?" he said gently. Maybe she would tell him what was going on.

"Hmmm?" she answered, her breath tickling his chest. He could feel the goose bumps rise up. If he wasn't careful that wouldn't be the only thing that would!

"Sam, are you awake?" he asked, nudging her a bit.

"Mmmm hmmm", she answered. He was pretty sure that meant yes.

"Uh, can you open your eyes?"

"Why?" she murmured. She already had and now she was perfectly happy the way she was.

"Well, I thought maybe we should – uh, _talk_ or something."

"Talk?" she murmured again, sounding confused. "I don't want to talk."

"Okaaaay", he answered slowly. "What _do_ you want to do?"

"Mmmmm, just stay here – where I'm supposed to be."

"Oh." He didn't quite know what to say to that.

"You're sure you don't want to get up?" he added. "Maybe get something to eat or something?"

She made a little whimper of displeasure. Why did he keep bothering her? Oh well, she figured she'd better respond to him or he'd keep bugging her. Didn't he know she just wanted to lie here? With a deep sigh she opened her eyes a tiny crack. "Fine", she said with much long-suffering. "My eyes are open."

He looked down and looked into her eyes. She _was_ awake, but from the look of her wasn't quite with it yet. He was right, he thought, she was still slightly drunk. He had to hold back a laugh at her very bleary-eyed indignation. She _really_ didn't want to wake up.

It took a few seconds but he could see the precise moment her rational mind kicked in. First her eyes sharpened, and then opened wide. The next moment her lips parted and finally -

"SIR!" she squeaked and rolled off of him and scurried as far to the edge of the bed as she could . It was bad of him but he enjoyed watching as the look of horror and embarrassment appeared on her face.

"Carter", he replied calmly. "How ya doin'?"

She gulped and stared at him – her blue eyes huge in her face. "Uh – we – uh", she was completely incoherent.

Should he take pity on her, he wondered? Nah, he was definitely enjoying this too much. Hell, he'd been through enough this trip. Didn't he enjoy a little fun?

"Did you have a good sleep?" he asked gently. He really wanted to laugh at her formal "Yes, thank you Sir".

At that moment she happened to glance down and realize that she was stark naked. In her flight across the bed the blankets had fallen and her top half was visible. He _really_ enjoyed the sight but knew he had to help her out here. Any more and it would just be cruel. So, the gentleman/Colonel side of him turned his eyes away. He'd given the male/Jack side enough of a treat.

"Sir?" she gasped. "What happened?" She was finally sobering up, he realized.

"Uh, I don't know Major. The last thing I remember was our party last night. I had a few drinks and the next thing I knew I woke up here with you – uh", he stopped when he saw her start to grow red.

"Did – anything – happen Sir?" she asked tentatively.

"Well, if it did Major, I certainly don't remember it." More's the pity, he said to himself. "I think we probably just passed out from the alcohol or whatever was in those drinks. They must have put us here."

"But but we're not wearing clothes!"

"Yeah, I kind of got that."

"So?"

"So – we'll have to find out what happened. We'll ask Danny or Teal'c."

"Okay", she said in relief. She needed some time alone – to get up, get dressed and then kill herself. She had to avoid thinking about what she'd done. God – she'd _licked_ him! Maybe, hopefully he had been sleeping and hadn't noticed.

"Sir?" she asked when he didn't move. "Are you going to go speak with Daniel?"

"Well, see, there's a bit of a problem Major."

"Sir?" she asked, raising her brows.

"We have one blanket."

"Yes?" This time she frowned in puzzlement.

"And no clothes."

"Oh. Okay." She still didn't get it.

"Well, that leaves two choices. Either I take the blanket, leaving you – a bit chilly – or you keep it which means I get to go see Daniel with no clothes on. I don't really relish the thought of walking around naked!"

"No, of course not Sir." She looked around the tent but couldn't see anything but the bed they were on (she had to move quickly over that) and a pitcher on a small table beside the bed. There was the 'door' – the tied down opening – and a small curtained off area to one side. That was all that was there.

Jack sighed. Carter still didn't seem to be at her sharpest and he was pretty sure she wasn't the one to be figuring anything out right now. "Okay Carter, I'll go and see if I can stick my head through the door and find anyone. You stay here under the blanket."

"Okay", she said softly.

"No peaking now!"

"No, of course not Sir", she said, indignantly.

"Yeah, that's what they all say", he muttered as he turned and stuck his feet out of the blanket. The 'bed' was actually a thin mattress on the ground so he had to maneuver himself out as gracefully as possible. With a deep breath he pushed himself to his feet. It was quite chilly! With a quick glance at Sam – who was looking in the opposite direction, he hobbled over to the door.

He had to fiddle with the ties but finally was able to pull the flaps apart, enough to stick his face out.

She couldn't help it – what woman could. As Jack passed by the bed she opened her eyes and looked. At first she noticed the horrible scars on his back and blanched as she remembered that awful time. Quickly, however, her eyes sunk lower. God, he was gorgeous. She'd always admired his butt (as did most of the women on base!) but this was the first time she'd gotten such a great look at it in all it's glory. Man, would she like to take her hands and -

"Hey", she suddenly heard Jack cry out and step back. On the outside was someone, she really couldn't see who, but he'd obviously startled Jack,

He had, in fact, scared the crap out of him. He put his head out practically into the chest of the other man. A big, huge hulk of a man, clearly a member of the tribe, was standing right outside the tent.

Jack took a deep breath and tried talking to him, asking him for clothes, for Daniel, for Teal'c, for Germanicus – hell, for anything or anybody – but the man simply shook his head and said something in his own language. Jack tried for quite a few minutes but nothing seemed to work. When Jack finally gave up, and went to simply walk outside (okay, they'd just have to put up with a naked foreigner!) the man gently, but firmly pushed him back. What the hell was going on?

At the point the man spoke again. The only word he understood was Bryde – which sounded similar to the ceremony they'd undergone yesterday – at least he thought it was yesterday? The man then grinned and pointed into the tent. When Jack shrugged in confusion the man made a crude gesture which he instantly understood.

Damn! Well, he couldn't get out, at least now, and decided to head back to bed. He was frustrated, confused and cold. And hey – Sam was in that bed! He gave the 'guard' the finger – the man smiled and gave it back to him. Jack grinned – he probably thought it was some kind of polite greeting. He wondered if the man would show it to the others of his tribe. Hey, maybe he'd started a new tradition!

He turned to head back when he saw a flurry from the bed. He narrowed his eyes and walked over to Sam's side and looked down. She had her head under the covers.

"Uh Saa-aam", he said in a sing-song voice. "Were you peaking?"

He heard a 'squeak' and saw her head shake as if to say no. He didn't hear her deny it, however.

"Saa-aam?" he asked again. This time nothing moved. He reached down and carefully pulled the covers off her head. She was lying there with her eyes squeezed shut, a look of pure guilt on her face.

For some reason he felt incredibly warmed by the fact that she _had_ been looking at him. That, and her determination to hold on to him this morning, showed him that her feelings hadn't changed.

"I'm sorry", she finally whispered. She felt _so_ humiliated.

He walked around to the other side and got in, covering himself with their one blanket. He didn't say anything for a second and then spoke.

"Okay, but you know what this means Major?" he asked.

"No", she said in a small voice, worried about his reaction.

"It means that next time _you_ go to the door – and I'm keeping the blanket!"

After a moment of shock Sam giggled. Pretty soon both of them were laughing and, without conscious thought, turned towards one another. The look that passed between them was one of two people who knew each other well and who liked and respected each other. Of course, there was also a great deal of love in those looks, but neither of them were willing to think about that right now.

"So, what are we going to do Sir?"

"I guess we just wait here Major. I'm assuming someone will come eventually. They'll have to feed us at some point."

"What do you think happened to Teal'c and Daniel and the others?"

He was pretty sure they were all enjoying themselves and laughing over the situation he and Sam were in. He would bet his last dollar that all of them were in on this! It was too convenient, too suspicious. Still, Sam didn't need to know that. She'd probably kill their friends – and he wanted _that_ pleasure for himself.

"Oh, I'm sure they're fine."

"But why are we here and why won't they let us leave?"

"I expect it has something to do with that thing we went through yesterday."

"But you said it was just a betrothal party."

"Yeah, that's what Daniel said. Looks like their idea of a 'bridal shower' and ours is a bit different!"

They talked softly for a while, slightly awkward with the situation but refusing to give into it. They kept the conversation impersonal but friendly; basically the same way they had related for years.

It wasn't too long before they heard a scratching on the door. Jack turned and saw the panicked look on Sam's face and couldn't help but grin. She was worried he was going to make good on his threat and make her get up.

"I'll do it, don't worry Major."

"I won't look, I promise Colonel."

He simply smiled and winked at her, which caused her to blush some more. He admitted to himself that he was quite enjoying this whole thing. At least he was as long as he kept his mind off the future.

He made it to the door and opened the flap, this time to see Daniel standing outside looking – nervous.

"Daniel", he said pleasantly.

"Uh Jack – hi."

"Hello." He was not about to make this easy on his friend.

"You okay Jack?"

"Fine Daniel."

"Uh, how about Sam?"

"Sam? Why would you ask about Sam? Why do you think she'd be here with me?"

Daniel looked panicked but swallowing, dove right in. "Uh, they told us they'd brought you both here last night for your 'bryd' nocht."

"Bryd nocht Daniel? And what does that mean?" As if he didn't know!

"Uh, I guess it'd kind of you know - uh – wedding night."

"Wedding night you say? Hmmm, I thought you told me that ceremony was simply a betrothal party.?

"Yes, well, I guess I was kind of wrong. I guess it actually meant _wedding."_

"Wedding?" he asked calmly. "So, you're telling me Carter and I got married yesterday, is that it?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"_Kinda?_" What is _kinda_ Daniel?"

Daniel just looked at him and shrugged. Jack took a deep breath.

"Okay, just get us our clothes and we'll get out of here. Nobody needs to know anything about this once we leave this planet."

"Um"

"What Daniel?"

"I can't."

"You can't _what ?_"

"Get you your clothes."

"And why not?"

"Because you're on your honeymoon?" Daniel said hopefully.

"Daniel, we are _not_ on our honeymoon because we are not really married. Carter and I _can't_ get married, you know that. Now just get us the damn clothes and we'll say thanks to the Chief and be out of here."

"Sorry."

"_**Sorry?**_ What the hell does that mean?" He was starting to get angry.

"Look, Teal'c and I already talked to the Chief and he won't budge on this. Says that if you don't have your – honeymoon – then the marriage wasn't real and he wants Sam back. According to their customs the bride and groom have to stay sequestered for a while and then you can go."

"Sequestered? For how long?"

"Seven days."

"WHAT!"

"Hey, it's their custom."

"And you talked to him?"

"Yes, I did."

"What about Germanicus?"

"He talked to him too."

"And he won't budge?"

"No."

"What about our clothes?"

"He's said no – that you don't need them."

Jack just stared at his friend. Daniel glanced at him but then quickly looked down.

"Daniel, just tell me one thing."

The younger man looked up. "What?" he asked nervously.

"Who _is_ the Chief?"

There was a pause until finally Daniel answered. "Germanicus' father-in-law. Maya is his daughter."

"Yeah, I kinda thought so." He shook his head. "So, a week you say?" Daniel nodded, a small smile trying to escape.

"You know you and Teal'c are dead meat don't you?" Jack asked calmly.

"Yeah, but it'll have been worth it."

With that Jack shook his head once more. "Just tell them to bring some food and drink. We're gonna get hungry."

When Daniel gave a knowing smirk Jack dropped the tent flap in his face and turned back to the bed. This time Sam was turned away and he figured she hadn't been peaking. Oh well, it didn't really matter, not if they were here for a week. They'd get used to each other – naked – pretty quickly.

"So, what happened Sir?" she turned and looked at him once he was under the covers. She hadn't been able to hear the conversation.

"We're stuck here I'm afraid."

"Stuck? For how long and why?"

"For seven days. And this is our 'honeymoon'," he said, no inflection in his voice. "I'm afraid Daniel was wrong. Last night wasn't a betrothal ceremony, it was a wedding."

"WHAT!" she screeched, sitting up and then frantically grabbing the falling covers. "How can we stay here a week? What are we going to do? Will they bring us our clothes?"

"No, no clothes. They figure we wouldn't need them. They will bring us food and drink though?"

"And what about – facilities?"

Jack nodded his head over to the curtained off section in the tent. He'd taken a quick look as he'd returned to bed. "There's a chamber pot over there. We also have water for washing."

She just looked at him, a panicked look in her eyes. "What are we going to do Sir?"

He stared right back at her and didn't say anything. Thoughts were running through his mind. Their friends had obviously engineered this whole thing. They wanted them together. Hell, _he_ wanted them together and – if all signs were correct – _Sam_ wanted them together. They'd been gone from Earth for over nine months. Should they just let go and say to hell with everything? Would it be so bad to just take what had been offered to them? Surely the Air Force couldn't blame them, not after everything they'd been through?

He looked at Sam – she was even more worried after his long silence. With a small smile he reached out and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Sam", he asked gently, "just tell me one thing?"

"Yes?" she tilted her head, her eyes again going wide.

"Why did you _lick_ me?"

She could feel her face flood with color. She'd blushed more today than than she had in – hell, since she'd first discovered boys at about the age of 12. She started to stutter, to make excuses - and then she stopped and looked into his eyes.

His beautiful eyes were full of gentleness, of caring, of humor and all there plainly for her to see. She saw something else, something that made her realize it was the time for complete honesty. Jack was right. They needed to talk. Now was finally the time. Taking a deep breath she answered.

"I was checking - doing a scientific experiment."

"A _scientific_ _experiment_? Why?" he asked, incredibly confused.

"I decided that if all my senses – sight, smell, touch, hearing and taste - all confirmed it I would know that I was in the right place."

"The right place?"

"Yes – with you. My senses all told me that _you_ were the right place for me."

He'd always thought it was nothing more than an expression – something writers used to express extreme emotion – but he suddenly realized it was totally true. His heart really had fallen down, he was pretty sure all the way to his feet. And, he was absolutely, positively unable to breath. But it was a good feeling – yes, very good.

"Uh", was all he was able to reply. The next thing he knew, Sam had moved over until she was right next to him. Although they weren't touching, he could feel the heat of her body against his skin. It made catching his breath almost impossible.

She smiled, that beautiful, gorgeous Sam Carter smile. Suddenly she didn't look at all embarrassed or uncomfortable. She looked confident and firmly in control. He wished he could say the same about himself.

She reached out and touched his chest, directly over his heart. "See Jack, doesn't it feel _right_?"

He began to smile. Putting his arm around her waist he pulled her to him until they were touching.

"I think so", he murmured, "but I think I'll have to do some experiments of my own. I think I'll start with touch and move on from there." Continuing to look into her eyes he bent down and brushed her lips with his. He then began to kiss her deeply, passionately.

A long time later he lifted his head. "Hmmm – touch seems right – but I'm afraid it's going to take a while – a _long_ while to finish the experiment. I still have all the other senses. I think next …. taste!" With a grin he bent down and, using his tongue, began a trail from beneath her ear down to the valley between her breasts.

Oh yeah, she thought, her breath hitching, this was definitely going to take a _long_ time. And she couldn't be happier!


	23. Consummare

_**Short but fluffy and smutty (but in a nice way). If you're under age – or get offended by this kind of thing – don't read!**_

_**I spent a lot of time thinking – Will they? Won't they? Will they? Won't they? Here's what I decided!**_

_**Sorry folks - my updates may be a bit more irregular for a while. RL is crazy busy.**_

He'd made his way all the way down her body, tasting every bit of her, before he realized that they hadn't actually talked. He knew this was going fast – and would soon go all the way – if he didn't stop things right now. Actually, he didn't know if he _could _stop. There was only so much pain and suffering any man could take – and asking him to _not_ make love with Carter was going too far.

Still, the thought had interrupted his sensuous and tasty journey and now that little voice in the back of his head wouldn't shut up. He paused as he reached her ankle. The soft mewling sounds coming from the owner of these ankles were very distracting and almost drowned out that voice; unfortunately not completely.

He put his head up and contemplated whether he should keep going or stop. It was finally the hand he felt touching his back that decided him.

"Jack", her soft, tentative voice made him take a deep breath. Closing his eyes and cursing his overactive sense of duty, he slowly moved until he was beside her.

"I guess we need to talk, huh?" she said softly. At least the fact that she was still breathing hard gave him comfort that this was as difficult for her as it was for him.

"Yeah", he answered, "although that's the last thing I want to do right now."

"I know, me either." They lay there quietly for a few moments, trying to regain their equilibrium. She was the one who eventually turned on to her side and lifted her head, leaning it on her hand.

"So?" she asked. "What should we do?"

"That's the question Carter", he replied. He immediately grimaced – see he still called her Carter – that showed him right there that things were still - complicated. "But I think we need to figure it out before this goes any further."

She gave a deep sigh. "I know – I just wish that you hadn't remembered that until later."

"Me too", he grinned, feeling a bit better. "There's always something that seems to stop us, isn't there. It's as if the universe is conspiring against us."

"At least it wasn't Daniel this time. His timing usually sucks!"

Jack snorted. "Oh, somehow I think he's keeping far away …. far, _far_ away."

She looked at him, puzzled, but he didn't seem to want to explain himself so she just shrugged lightly. "So … what should we do?"

"Damn Carter", he sighed loudly. "I don't know. We can't, in good faith, say we thought we were stuck here. If Teal'c had just waited a couple of weeks it would be different but now, we know we're going home."

"So, the regs still matter?"

"Yeah", he answered softly. "I guess so."

"You _guess_ Jack?"

"Well, we are married – and it is okay for married couples to work together – and have sex" he added under his breath.

"But we weren't supposed to get married."

"True, but we didn't do it on purpose. I mean, we didn't even know we were getting married until after the fact."

"But the Air Force will say we didn't have to – you know – consummate the marriage. We don't really even have to tell anyone that we were married when we get home. There won't be any proof of it."

"Hey, _I'll_ know in here", Jack tapped the side of his head. "And anyway, I hold marriage to be sacred – my Catholic upbringing you know."

"I didn't know you were Catholic?" Sam said.

"With a name like O'Neill? That's as Irish as they come."

"True, but that doesn't automatically mean you're Catholic. But, we're getting off the subject. Even if you are Catholic -"

"Hey", he protested, "what do you mean _if_ – of course I am, even if I haven't been to church in a long - a long, long, okay a _really_ long time – that doesn't mean it's not important to me and it does mean that I believe in the sanctity of marriage." He flopped back down in triumph.

"But you're divorced", she said in a quiet voice.

"Yeah, not my choice – and Sara wasn't Catholic." he said as softly. He looked at her quickly. "But that was a long time ago Sam and I'm in love with you now." He got very serious all of a sudden. "It was hard you know. I truly did – do believe marriage should be forever. I wouldn't lie about a thing like that."

"But it's not a real marriage Jack."

"As far as I'm concerned it is!" he said firmly. He turned again to Sam. "Look, foreign marriages are recognized by the Air Force. It's true, we could just pretend it didn't happen – and I'll do that if that's what you want – but we could also say that we believe we _are_ married. If they want to arrest us for that – well, we'll fight it. We've been here practically a whole year. Surely that's time enough for us to have made a life for ourselves."

"I don't know. I think they'll still say we knew we were going home by the time we got married and that we should - "

"Hey, we don't have to tell them when we decided to get together. A couple of days later and the deed would have been done."

"The _deed?"_ she looked at him in disgust.

"Well, you know what I mean. We would have – consummated our relationship. Can we help it that Teal'c has lousy timing?"

"It may be lousy, but to the Air Force it'll be crucial. They'll ask you know."

"Maybe, maybe not. What if I retire?"

"What?"

"Retire. You know – as in 'quit working and stay home and watch TV and garden'. You know _retire._"

"I know what it means Jack, I just think you're insane to even think about it."

"Why? I think I'd enjoy gardening."

"You'd go crazy in a week."

"I could take up – pinochle or square dancing or something."

"Square dancing?" she laughed. "Somehow I can't see you 'do see do-ing' around the house."

"No? How about swingin' my partner?" He flipped her over on her back and leaned over her. "I think I could _really_ enjoy doing that."

"I'm sure you would but you might get bored of that after a while too."

"Never!" he grinned and lowered his head and kissed her. After a while – a long while – he stopped, his breathing a bit fast. "Sorry", he sighed and pushed himself off. "Got carried away with the idea of square dancing."

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"We still haven't figured this out."

"I know. I guess it's the same as it's always been. We're trapped by the rules. You know what Carter?"

"What Sir?"

"I'm _really_ tired of the rules."

"Me too." She paused. After a minute she spoke again. "You know, we _are_ married."

"Yeah."

"And we didn't mean to get married."

"True."

"And marriage is sacred – at least that's what my Catholic upbringing taught me."

"Carter!" he rose up again. "Are you telling me - "

"Mmmm hmmm – Catholic."

He began to laugh. This was priceless. They'd known each other all these years and yet they were just finding out they had this in common. "What's your middle name?" he asked.

"Mary."

"Of course it is." He began laughing again. "What high school?"

"St. Peter's. You?"

"St. Matthew's." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and saw that she was straining hard to repress a grin. God, he loved his woman – and she was Catholic! His aunts would be thrilled.

"Sacred huh?" she said.

"Yeah, totally sacred."

She then moved over until she was right next to him. "Well, since divorce isn't an option for either of us, I think that it's time we uh –"

"Ignored the rules?"

"Yup"

"Went for it?"

"Absolutely!"

"Consummated our sacred relationship?"

"Definitely!"

"Hallelujah!" he grinned. The squeak she uttered, when he pounced, was priceless and sent shivers down his spine. He smirked – he absolutely had to hear that sound again and he knew just how to make it happen. He reached down and gently flicked the tip of her nipple with his tongue.

Yup, it worked. There was that squeak again. He'd better try the other one. Oh boy – this marriage business was great! Sacred indeed!

"Jaaack!" she groaned as he made his way back down. He'd been interrupted the first time by that nasty 'rules' thought, but now that they'd dealt with it he was determined, and very, very focused.

"What?" he muttered, concentrating on her belly button.

"What – what are you doing?" He lifted his head and smirked.

"Consummating."

"Oh … okay … just - "

"Just what?"

"Just stop talking and keep going!" she gasped.

"Your wish is my command …. wife!" He lowered his head and continued.

By this time he'd reached the soft skin just below her belly. He slowly and sensuously let his tongue swirl around the tender flesh. Each time he went a tiny bit lower until he was skimming the top of her soft, velvet curls. He gently blew air on her stomach and saw the goose bumps appear. He resumed his licking and heard her breath hitch. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her foot begin to twitch. Interesting!

He gently took his hands and, as he moved his mouth lower, parted her sensitive mound. Glancing up at her face he saw her with a very far-away expression. He eyes were half shut and her mouth was open. He could just barely see the tip of her tongue peeking through. Her chest was heaving and he knew she was on the brink. He'd just have to see if he could send her over.

He immediately lowered his mouth until it touched her silken lips and he began to taste her. He found that small, sensitive bud and began to circle it slowly – ever so slowly – with his tongue. Her hips lifted off the bed as if she was trying to get closer to him. He reached around with his hands until they were holding the round, soft globes of her ass, and began to knead them.

He kept working, giving her pleasure, and before long she was whimpering. He glanced down and was amused to see her foot continue to twitch. As he moved, and plunged his tongue into her soft core, he knew he'd have to tease her about that later – much later. Soon he forgot the foot as all his attention returned to the wonderful taste, sight, smell and feel of her. Talk about his senses being engaged!

He could tell the precise moment that she was about to explode. Every move and sound stopped. Her foot stopped dead. The only movement she made was to reach down and grasp his hair. She held on for dear life – any other time it would have been painful – but right now he didn't even notice. He could see her skin flush and suddenly, her back arched off the bed, her head was flung back – and she began a loud, deep moan that went on for a very, very long time.

She finally collapsed, panting, back onto the bed. Her hand was still grasping his hair and he laid his head down on her sweet softness.

"Jack", he heard her very faint voice.

"Yeah?" he responded.

"That was - "

He lifted his head and looked at her still-flushed face.

"It was?"

"Holy."

"Holy?" he asked surprised.

"Yeah, as in Holy Mary, Mother of God – that was amazing."

He grinned upon hearing the words he hadn't heard since his school days. He knew she wasn't being blasphemous – she actually meant it. It was holy – it was sacred. They were, in fact, well and truly married and what had just taken place was right and good. However, and here he smiled to himself, they weren't finished!

"Hey Mrs. O'Neill?" He could see her start and suddenly look at him. For a moment she stared and he worried a bit that he'd made a mistake. That was until he saw the slow smile that appeared.

"Yes Mr. O'Neill? What can I do for you?"

"Well, it's not exactly what you can do _for _me."

"No?"

"No – it's actually what I want you to do _to_ me." He grinned as he watched her flush even more. He wasn't quite sure if it was from desire or embarrassment – he figured it was a bit of both!

This time it was he who squeaked – although he'd deny it to his dying day! Men did NOT squeak, no matter what Carter said. He just – vocalized a bit. But hey, what's a man to do when his gorgeous, sexy, blond, blue-eyed, leggy, brilliant, amazing _wife_ (God – she really was his wife) grabbed him there? No man could help – vocalizing.

Soon he was the one arching off the bed as her mouth and tongue – "Oh God, yes Sam", as her mouth "oh yeah!", as her "holy Mother of God YES!" did _that_ to him.

He reached down and grabbed her hair – gently – and tugged until she lifted her head. She had a very knowing, very pleased look on her face. She was clearly enjoying what she was doing! However, if he let her continue he knew this would be over way too fast.

It had been a long, long time since he'd been with a woman – and even longer since he'd been with someone he loved. Right now, he was definitely ready to explode.

"Wait", he groaned. She smiled and pulled herself up until she was looking at his flushed, heavy-lidded expression.

"What? Am I too much for you Airman?" she smiled.

"Oh yeah!" he answered. "Gotta give me a second." He lay back and simply breathed as her hand drew circles on his chest. As soon as it started to inch lower – back to the danger zone – he grabbed it and flipped her onto her back.

"Oh no you don't witch!"

"You don't like that?" she pouted.

"You know I do – but there's something else I like even more."

"What?" she asked as she slowly licked her lips. He groaned and just _had_ to kiss her. Except kiss wasn't quite the right word. Actually, he more or less plundered her mouth. While careful not to hurt her – he'd never hurt her – his kiss was more than passionate - rather, it consumed her. He kissed her deeply, letting his tongue feel every part of her mouth and lips. He even nibbled the tender flesh and caught her own groans and pants in his mouth.

It was when she finally – again – reached down and grasped his hot and throbbing flesh that he knew he was well and truly lost. She had him. Just as he'd claimed her, she had now claimed him and it was time to consummate their mutual possession.

With a sigh he reached down and helped her guide him into her. As he felt her soft, wet and very hot folds surround him he knew that this was indeed sacred. There was nothing more holy than this joining.

He let himself go and pushed into her, not violently, but forcefully. He was a man taking the woman he loved. But just as he was taking her – he knew she was taking him right back. Her flesh grabbed him and held on, every muscle inside holding him, caressing him – owning him. He was lost and yet he was home.

Later, as they lay there curled up together, he thought of where this journey had taken them. For all the agony, the hopelessness, the despair – he wouldn't change things for they had brought him to this point. He was well and truly happy- something he hadn't felt for a long, long time.

"Jack?" her soft, tentative voice whispered in his ear. He turned to look at her.

"Yeah?"

"Did we do the right thing?" she looked at him hesitatingly.

"Yes Samantha Mary – we definitely did the right thing!" She slowly began to smile and then nodded. Laying her head back on his shoulder he could feel her let out a long, slow breath.

"You're right. This wasn't wrong – it was good. It _was _holy." She paused. "We really are married, aren't we?"

"Yup, well and truly signed, sealed and consummated."

"So, no getting out of it?"

"Nope."

"We're in it for life?"

"Yup."

"We can't change our minds?"

"Nope."

"And you're okay with that?"

"More than okay Sam, more than okay."

"Yeah", she sighed again and smiled. "Me too."

**_Consummare - To Consummate_**


	24. Talio

_**Short, fluffy, smarmy and sweet.**_

"I can't Jack."

"Yes you can."

"Nope."

"Don't you want to?

"Yes, but not now."

"When?"

"I don't know, maybe later."

"Later as in -?"

"Later."

"Okaaaay" he laid back down beside her. "I guess that sounds good." He stayed still for a moment, "how about just -?"

"Later Jack."

"Okay", he harrumphed. Lying back down again he tried to close his eyes and sleep but it alluded him. A couple of minutes later he tried wiggling his toes, then he started to bounce his entire foot and finally he started humming under his breath.

"Jack!"

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Stop it!"

"Stop what?"

"What you're doing."

"I'm just lying here, quietly, not hurting a soul, not bothering anybody - "

"Yes you are."

"Yes I am what?"

"Bothering somebody – me!"

He was silent again until finally he let out a big sigh.

"Colonel O'Neill, will you _**stop**_ it. I want to sleep."

"Why?"

"Why? Why? **WHY?** Because you kept me up all last night, and yesterday and the night before, etc. etc. etc. _**That's**_ why."

"Oh", he said sheepishly. Another long pause – "but I thought you liked it?"

This time the sigh came from her. Shaking her head at her husband (she was still having trouble believing they were actually married) she rolled onto her side. "I did. I loved it. I loved it the first time and the second and third and so on, but now I need to _sleep_! And besides that, I'm too sore for anything else."

Now he felt guilty. He turned and faced her. "I'm sorry", he said softly. "I just – I love you and it was so great. I didn't mean to overdo it."

Looking at this dear, sweet, exasperating man she pulled herself closer and wrapped her arms around him. "You didn't. I loved every second of the time we've spent together this week. It's not your fault I'm sore – well, in a way I guess it is – but I was in it too you know."

"Actually, I think I was the one who was _in it_!" She could hear the grin in his voice and swatted him.

"Yeah, well mister – you're not going to be _in it_ for a while. I need to rest and recuperate." She lifted herself slightly and looked at him. "What about you? Aren't you tired?" He grinned and shook his head.

"Nope, I could never get tired of you Samantha Mary Carter-O'Neill."

She smiled back, falling a little more in love with him every minute they were together. "And you're not sore?" She reached down to touch him but when he pulled back sharply she laughed. "You are too sore! You're just full of it Jack O'Neill. In fact, I bet you're as tired as I am!"

He let out a big grin and then laughed. "Yeah, I'm exhausted – but I figure where there's a will – etc. I had to try."

"Mmmm" she looked at him in amused disgust. "Try, but I bet you would have had trouble finishing!"

"Me!" he said, shocked. "I always finish what I start Carter. It's the O'Neill way."

"The O'Neill way is it? Well, then, you're not going to start anything right now. I told you, I need rest."

"Okay", another long-suffering sigh. "How bout we talk?"

"What?" she lifted her head again and looked at him in surprise. "You want to _talk?_ That's definitely not the O'Neill way."

"Well, maybe it is now."

She couldn't help it, she leaned over and kissed him gently on the mouth. "Thank you Jack."

"Thank me? What for?"

"For being the crazy, funny amazing man you are! So, what should we talk about?"

"Well", he got a mischievous look on his face and propped his head up on his bent arm. "I think we should discuss what to do about Daniel and Teal'c."

"Do?"

"Yeah. We need to get them - for masterminding this whole thing. They planned it, I'm sure of it."

"But I thought you were happy with the way things turned out?"

"I was – I am – but that doesn't mean they don't deserve to be punished. They shouldn't be allowed to get away with screwing with our lives like that!"

"Even if the results were good?"

"_Especially_ because the results were good!" This time he got an evil smirk on his face.

"Jack O'Neill, you are _so_ bad!"

"Yup, and you love me for it."

"Yeah", she sighed, "I'm afraid I do. So, what are we going to do?"

They'd been in the 'honeymoon tent' for six days. Six wonderful, glorious, _exhausting_ days. They only had one day left but both of them really were tired. Jack admitted to himself that he really wasn't up (pun totally intended) for anything more. As it was he was going to have trouble walking. Hey, he thought to himself, they had a lot of years to make up for!

Their 'honeymoon' had been a time out of time and he knew they'd have to face reality soon enough but, for once in his life, he told duty to go take a flying leap. Right now he was simply going to enjoy what had been given to him. No matter what happened, he refused to ever regret this time.

He figured that Daniel and/or Teal'c would bring them their clothes tomorrow and they'd all head back to Germanicus' home. From there they had to finally make their way back to earth.

He and Sam had talked about it and both were torn over returning. On the one hand they looked forward to being back on earth and seeing family and friends again. On the other they were worried about what they might find but, more importantly, about what would happen to them.

Oh well, he decided, that was for tomorrow. Today he was going to enjoy himself.

They both had a great sleep that night, curled up in each other's arms. It was late the next morning when they heard a scratch on the tent 'door'.

"Daniel, I expect", Jack muttered. "It's your turn."

"What! Jaaack."

"Nope – I did it both times before. Now you have to get up. I'll just lie here, wrapped in the nice warm blanket."

"But I'll be naked."

"Yeah", he grinned happily, his arms behind his head, "and I'm plannin' to enjoy it."

"Jack – you're evil."

"Mmmm hmmm! You still have to go." She let out a 'huff' and threw the blankets off and stomped over to the door.

He loved it – he loved her. He watched as she walked, greatly enjoying the sight of those long legs and gorgeous –

"Daniel"

"Hi Sam" She had opened the tent just a crack so that her face could stick out. She looked and sounded very serious. Good, he thought, their plan was going to work.

"Uh, I've brought your clothes. The Chief says you can get out now."

"Is that right? How _kind_ of him. Just give me the damn clothes Daniel – after I've gone back and covered myself with the blanket. Then we can get the hell out of here!"

Jack had to cover his head with the blanket; he wanted to laugh so hard. He just wished he could see Daniel's expression.

"Uh okay Sam. Are you – are you all right?"

"What do you think Daniel? We were forced to stay in a tent for seven days without anything but a blanket. Just leave the clothes."

"Okay". Sam walked back to bed and gave Jack a cheeky grin. He winked at her. In a couple of minutes the tent flap opened and their clothes were tossed in. They waited a few minutes and finally began to get dressed.

"I don't know", Jack said, "I could get kind of used to going around without clothes. They feel too tight right now!"

"I know what you mean. It might look a little funny to arrive back home through the gate in nothing but our birthday suits though."

"Yeah", he laughed. "Can you imagine the look on Hammond's face?"

She laughed too. "And what about poor Walter?"

"Oh God, yes", he choked. "And then of course, there's Siler and his big wrench."

She squealed. "Oh, stop! Keep that wrench away from me."

"I don't know. I can think of some things to do with it."

She stopped and looked at him, puzzled. "You can?"

"Well, no, not really, but it sounded good."

She started to laugh again. "I think we better get out there."

"Yeah", but he didn't move. They looked at each other, both feeling rather uncomfortable. They knew what they'd been up to all week but neither really liked the idea that their friends, hell, the whole village, would know.

"Remember, we're angry." Jack bent his head and kissed Sam. She took a deep breath and nodded.

"Okay, on with the show." They walked together to the door but Jack motioned for her to go first.

She walked through and there was Teal'c, standing with Daniel. A few feet away Germanicus and Atta stood with the Chief. They were all staring.

"Let's go", Jack said shortly.

"Uh, Jack, is everything okay?" Daniel asked tentatively.

"No Daniel, it isn't. I want to go home okay?" He looked around until he saw a number of saddled horses. "I assume those are ours?" he pointed to the animals.

"Indeed O'Neill" Teal'c replied. Jack peeked at him and was amused to see his Jaffa friend looking slightly worried. Good – he was probably the mastermind behind this. He walked over to the horses and turned around.

"Is anyone coming?"

Germanicus raised his eyebrow but nodded. He spoke softly to the Chief and then gave him a manly hug. Atta said goodbye and they walked together to the horses.

"Major Carter?" Teal'c looked down at the blond woman beside him. "How are you?"

"Fine Teal'c. I just want to go home." She was actually starting to feel badly about tricking their friends. Teal'c was looking upset and she didn't want to hurt him. She glanced at Jack but he gave a tiny shake of his head. Okay, she'd play along for a while, she decided, as she headed over to where the others were waiting.

Daniel sighed and said a small thank you to the Chief and then he too walked to his horse. He was quite proud of how proficient a rider he'd become but right now that was the last thing on his mind. He was really worried they'd made a big mistake.

As they all rode towards Germanicus' compound no one spoke. Jack and Sam very obviously didn't ride close to each other and made a point of not even looking at one another. Daniel kept glancing over at both of them, biting his lip in worry. The ride seemed to take forever but finally they reached the house.

Jack and Sam both dismounted and made their way inside. Daniel and Teal'c looked at each other and then followed them inside and into the main hall.

"Jack", Daniel walked up to his friend. "Really, are you guys all right?"

"What do you think Daniel? Did you and Teal'c really think this was a good idea? Don't you think it was up to Sam and me to decide what we wanted to do with our lives?"

"But Jack, you weren't doing _anything_. We all know how you feel about each other and yet you kept letting rules get in the way."

"Rules? Daniel, don't you get it? Both of us chose to obey those rules, not just because of he consequences if we didn't, but because we agree with them."

"You do?" the other man looked at him in surprise. "But -?"

"But nothing. They're there for a reason, a good reason. We made the decision years ago to put our feelings aside for a greater purpose."

"He's right Daniel", Sam added. "We'd already decided. You guys had no right to do what you did."

"I am sorry O'Neill, Major Carter", Teal'c said seriously. "We thought we were helping but you are correct. It was not our place."

"Yeah, Teal'c's right", Daniel said, looking unhappy. "We just hope we didn't mess up too badly. It was all our fault. We didn't mean to hurt you."

Jack and Sam looked at each other and Jack finally nodded. "Carter said it – you had no right to put us in that position – but we're damn glad you did!"

There was complete and utter silence for a very long minute. Daniel frowned slightly, not quite sure what had just happened. Teal'c raised his very expressive eyebrow but also looked puzzled.

Sam couldn't help it – she grinned and then she began to laugh. "You should see your faces", she chuckled. "I think we got them Jack."

"Yeah", he grinned back, "I think we did Carter."

"Are you guys telling us that you're _glad_ we – helped get you married?"

"Yup", answered Jack. "Very glad."

"So, this was all - ?"

"Retribution! Hell, you deserved it you know. You really shouldn't have interfered. As it was it – helped us come to a decision – but it could have had a very different ending."

"We considered that O'Neill, before we arranged this but we felt that it was worth it." Suddenly Teal'c grinned and slapped the Colonel on his back. "I am also glad we decided to 'go for it' O'Neill. We are very happy for you both."

"So Jack, was your honeymoon good?" Daniel smirked. Jack punched him on the shoulder, hard.

"So not going there Daniel. I'm afraid that's absolutely none of your business." He turned and took Sam's hand. "We'll see you guys later."

"Hey, where are you going?" Daniel asked. "We haven't seen you for a whole week and we need to talk about heading back to earth."

"Not my problem right now Daniel. Right now I plan to go and continue that honeymoon. Please send up some food later okay?" He turned to Daniel "But you are _not_ to disturb us." He and Sam headed up the stairs to their room, leaving their friends with mouths hanging open.

"Jaaack!" She protested.

"Yeah? What?" He stopped and looked down. Maybe he'd been a bit hasty.

"Our room is that way", she pointed. He smiled and followed her as she turned down the hallway. Oh yes, he really did have to thank Daniel and Teal'c.

They'd worry about going home – later!

**_Talio - Retribution_**


	25. Terra

**_One more chapter after this everyone. I'm debating on another story - unless, of course, I decide to take a Stargate break! Any ideas, suggestions greatly appreciated. Whump/no whump? I may even try a non-ship story (it's hard though - I love happy endings and romance!). I'll put in a shameless plug - the more reviews I get - and what I get - will help me decide. Thanks everyone._**

**_Terra - Earth_**

The time had come to go home. Jack looked around the yard at all the people he'd gotten to know on this world. Many of these people were now his friends, especially Atta, with whom he'd been through so much.

He was going to miss them, and this life. In many ways it was so much simpler than the life they lived back on earth. Here he could have raised horses and probably other living things! As it was, he'd have to go back and continue the fight against earth's enemies.

He could feel the deep sense of loss already building in his chest. He was tired, so tired. He'd spent all his adult life fighting and right now, there was nothing he wanted more than to rest, with the woman he loved, and create something good, something joyous.

He looked over to where Sam was talking with some of the wives. She laughed at whatever Maya had said and he couldn't help but feel his heart expand with pride and love. She was so gorgeous and yet so smart and funny and kind. He really didn't know what he'd done to deserve her. For the first time in a long time he felt like God or the universe was finally looking at him and smiling. He just prayed it stayed that way.

He, more than anyone, knew how quickly life could turn and this time he swore he'd do everything in his power to not let anything bad happen. The only problem was he knew there were certain things outside of his control. The Air Force was one of them.

He didn't know what would happen when they returned. It could be fine, and then again, they could be in for serious trouble. He honestly wondered if the best thing was simply to not say anything and then retire. He and Sam could then 'start' a relationship which would be totally legitimate and no one could say anything. Of course, there'd always be rumors that they'd been having an affair all along but he knew there was really nothing he could do to stop that. He just hoped it didn't harm Sam's career.

The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. Oh, Sam had said he'd go crazy, and he would if he just sat around the house and didn't do anything; but, there were things he was interested in. Maybe he'd start a new career. He was still young enough and he'd have a great pension which would allow him to pretty much do what he wanted.

The fact was that he might be forced into it whether or not he wanted to retire. His knee was in pretty bad shape and he might just have gotten to the point where there wasn't much more they could do for it. If that were the case he would _have_ to retire because he certainly couldn't see himself taking a desk job.

Just then he saw Daniel and Teal'c come out of the barn. He had been surprised that Daniel had taken so well to riding and seemed to really enjoy it. Teal'c, on the other hand, was never going to be a cowboy. He grinned, remembering the sight of the big warrior on his horse. A rider he certainly was not!

The two friends saw him and wandered over. "Hey Jack", Daniel called. "What ya doin?"

"Just relaxing Daniel. How about you guys?"

"Oh, I was just saying goodbye."

"Goodbye? To whom? You got a lady love here that I don't know about?"

"Jack", Daniel said in disgust. "Just because you and Sam spend most of your time in bed doesn't mean that that's what the rest of us are obsessed with."

Jack grinned. "You're just jealous Daniel."

"I am not! I have more important things to worry about."

"More important than sex? Daniel, I'm disappointed. There's _nothing_ more important – or more fun – than sex."

"Okay Jack, enough. I _so_ don't want to go there. I'm happy for you guys, really I am but I don't think I can take looking at your silly grin any more. Geesh Jack, you'd think you were the first man ever to - "

"Careful Danny."

"I was going to say – the first man ever to have a honeymoon."

"Indeed Daniel Jackson. I do not understand why O'Neill wears this expression all day. He appears very proud of himself and yet I believe he is not doing anything that most husbands do not do."

"Yup – you too Teal'c" Jack grinned and started walking back to the house. "you're jealous! You both gotta get some", he tossed over his shoulder.

"Hey Jack!" Daniel shouted. The Colonel stopped and turned back.

"Yeah what?"

"I see you're limping." This time it was Daniel who grinned.

"So? My knee is bothering me."

"Your knee – riiigght! What do you think Teal'c?"

"I do not believe it his knee that is causing him to walk with a strange gait. I believe it is as a result of - "

"Yup – jealous – you're both jealous", Jack turned and walked away, whistling while desperately trying not to limp.

"Jack", he stopped upon hearing Sam's voice. He turned and smiled as she hurried up to him. He couldn't help but smirk a bit when he realized that she was also walking stiffly. Oh yes, married life was wonderful.

He suddenly frowned however, when he realized that they were riding out tomorrow. Oh God, how was he ever going to get on a horse?

"What's wrong Jack?"

"Huh?" he said, looking at Sam.

"You were frowning all of a sudden."

"Oh? Oh yeah, I was thinking about tomorrow."

"Sad to leave?"

"That too but I was actually thinking about having to ride."

"I thought you liked riding."

He got a wicked grin and waggled his eyebrows. "You know I do!"

"I meant _horses_ Jack."

Sigh. "I know you did and it was actually horses I was thinking about."

"But you like horses."

"I do – but I'm just thinkin' – with all the 'riding' I've done this week, _horseback_ riding's gonna be a bit -"

"Painful?" she asked.

"Yeah – very painful."

"You could ride in one of the wagons with the women and children."

"Nah, too embarrassing. What'll I say if they ask why I'm there? I'll have to tell them that my wife wore me out and my – manly parts – are too sore to ride."

"Manly parts?" she giggled. "I definitely wouldn't tell them that."

"No?"

"No, they'll all want to help make them better – and any woman who does that will have me to deal with."

"Oooh – woman fight? I kinda like the sound of that."

"_Woman_ fight? Jack, that's disgusting."

"No it's not. In fact, it's what every man secretly dreams of; having his woman fight over him. Yeah, and I'm married to Sam Carter who could kick any woman's uh butt and most men's!"

"You're incorrigible, do you know that?"

"Me? I am not. I'm just - "

"A guy."

"Yeah", he smiled, "a guy. For which I am eternally grateful."

"Why? You think men are better?" she asked, a warning look on her face.

"Hell no! But if I wasn't a guy I wouldn't have you – and _that's_ why I'm glad I'm a guy."

"Not only are you incorrigible, you're pretty smart Jack O'Neill. That kinda talk will definitely ensure that you get lucky."

"Really? Let's go then."

"Now?"

"Of course. I think now's a great time to get lucky." He was pulling her back towards the house.

"Jack, it's the middle of the day and we're supposed to be getting ready."

"That didn't bother you yesterday."

"True."

"Or the day before."

"Okay, okay, I get it."

"So?

"So, let's get ready later."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Don't tell me they're at it _again_?" Daniel whined. "We're never gonna make it home at this rate."

"I believe you may be correct." Teal'c suddenly looked puzzled. "Daniel Jackson?"

"Yeah Teal'c?"

"Is this behavior normal for humans who join together in marriage?"

"By behavior you mean - ?"

"I mean the number of times they seem to have inter - "

"Yeah, yeah – I get it. And, well, couples who are newly married do tend to – uh – do it more but I gotta say I think Jack and Sam take the cake."

"Cake? I did not know that there was cake involved. That must be why O'Neill likes it so much."

Daniel laughed. "No Teal'c, I just meant that they seem to be spending more time that most couples engaged in – marital relations." Daniel rolled his eyes at Teal'c's blank expression. "Sex Teal'c – they seem to be having a lot of sex."

"Indeed."

Later that day Sam and Jack were finally found in the great hall eating a late luncheon. They were both extremely hungry and looked very pleased with themselves. Daniel looked disgusted.

"Hey guys."

"Daniel." Jack continued eating.

"So, do you think we're really going to get out of here tomorrow?"

"If everything is ready, then yeah, I do. Why?"

"Well, I didn't know if you got everything done you needed to before we left."

"We did Daniel", Sam answered. "We're packed and we've said our goodbyes. How about you?"

"Oh yeah, Teal'c and I have pretty much been ready for days."

"Really?" Jack looked surprised. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because Jack, I usually couldn't find you – and I was told never to disturb you when you were in your bedroom – which is where you seemed to be most of the time since we've been back."

Jack kept chewing and just grinned.

"Daniel!" Sam sounded shocked. "We haven't been that bad!"

"Yes, indeed you have, Major Carter-O'Neill." Teal'c had wandered over and now sat beside them at their table.

"Really?" She looked back and forth between her friends. Realizing that they were telling the truth, she could feel herself start to go a bit red. "I'm sorry guys, we didn't realize." She turned to Jack who continued to eat and grin. "Did we Jack?"

"Oh yeah, I realized. Don't worry about it Carter – they're just jealous."

"Fine Jack", Daniel sighed and rolled his eyes, "but can we now think about getting home?"

"Nothing much to think about Daniel. Germanicus is sending some of his men to escort us and we'll go most of the way by boat." That still made him nervous but he knew he had to conquer his fear and now was as good a time as any. "We'll avoid Adrano City and make our way to Teal'c's ship and then head back to the nearest planet with a gate. From there it's home."

"Are you worried?" Daniel frowned, wondering what was in store for them.

"No, it should be pretty straight forward. As long as we avoid any Adrano troops."

"No, I mean about returning home?"

He thought about lying or about cracking one of his usual jokes, but looking at the concerned faces of the three people he was closest to in the universe he decided that truth was the best.

"A little", he replied, setting down the cup he'd been holding. "It's always hard to go home when you've been away for a long time. You're never quite sure what you'll find." He thought back to some of his longer tours of duty. Even though he'd been able to write and receive letters from home he'd still get nervous. He wondered if things were different now with email and the internet?

"I just keep having these dreams that we'll get back to earth and everything will be gone or some System Lord will have conquered it." Daniel confessed.

"No way. Ain't happened Daniel." He sounded so sure that Daniel relaxed a bit. He knew, logically, that there was no way Jack would know that, but somehow he believed him anyway.

"Do you think they've sold our stuff?" Sam asked. She was worried about her Indian and her car. She was pretty sure that family things would have been sent to her brother."

"Nah. As long as Teal'c is out looking for us Hammond will make sure it's all kept safe".

"Jack, how are we going to get through the gate. We've been gone a long time and they will have locked out our codes – even if we had a GDO, which we don't."

"Teal'c's taken care of that, didn't you big guy?"

"I did." He turned to Daniel. "I spoke to General Hammond and we arranged to leave a GDO with Bratac. The General knew it might take some time so he gave me a special code to use. We will return to Chulak and obtain the GDO and gate from there."

"Oh – good. It sounds like we have everything covered but I'm still feeling kind of nervous", Daniel admitted.

"Come on guys", Jack said as he sat us straight and looked at each of his friends in turn. "There's no sense worrying about this. We'll know soon enough whether everything is okay and anyway, no matter what's happened, we'll still have each other."

If they were surprised at the emotion in Jack's words, none of them gave any hint, but all of them nodded in agreement. It was true – they were all alive and still together – so no matter what, they'd be fine.

The final goodbyes the next day were emotional. Atta was traveling with them, along with some of the men, but Germanicus and the women were not.

"Thank you my friend", Germanicus hugged Jack and patted him on the back. "You have brought much to our world, and you have brought us a victory we never would have had without you."

"Oh, I don't know about that! You're a pretty smart guy. Thank you for all you've done for us. Hopefully we'll meet again one day."

After hugs and backslaps all around, Sg1 left, escorted by Atta and half a dozen other men. As they rode away from the compound the team all waved goodbye. They were all quiet after that, thinking of their friends and the fact that they would probably never see them again.

The boat ride was uneventful, although stressful for Jack. He stayed up on deck, Sam by his side, so he could breath the fresh air and not feel confined. It helped keep his terror at bay to stay out if the open.

The trip was going to take a bit longer as they had to circle around the city and avoid any Adrano. Fortunately, everything went smoothly and they arrived at Teal'c's stolen ship.

The Tokra were waiting, with Rannulfus still under lock and key. He was furious – shouting and complaining – as soon as he realized Teal'c had returned with his. Jack had gone in and taken a look at the slave-trader and could feel a wave of anger wash over him. He left the room before he did something he'd regret. He'd have to think about what was going to be done about the man. For now he was more concerned about saying goodbye to his friend Atta.

"Go safely Oneo", Atta spoke softly to the man who had become like a brother to him. "I will always remember my galley companion."

"Yeah, me too Atta. Thank you for everything. You saved my life and I will never forget you." Suddenly his expression lightened and he smiled. "You look after that family okay? Especially little Oneo."

"He's going to be trouble, if he's anything like his namesake", Atta grinned. "You too, Oneo, take care of your new family. I wish you many sons and daughters and that you find contentment when you return to your world."

As they watched the Alemanni ride away, Jack thought back to Atta's words. He couldn't help but think about the idea of children. It was a frightening thought, in many ways, but also an extremely attractive one. It was something he and Sam hadn't really talked about and he figured it wasn't too likely, not with the war still going on. There was no way he'd contemplate having kids if both he and Carter were still on active duty.

He sighed, thinking also about the last part of Atta's comments. Contentment – yeah, that was something he longed for. He was happy, truly happy now that he was with the woman he loved – but he wondered how content they'd be if they continued to go through the gate. Their kind of life brought excitement and adventure but rarely contentment. Oh well. He pulled himself up by the mental boot straps. No point worrying about it now.

"Are you all right?" Her soft voice interrupted his thoughts and he turned his head to see Sam's concerned face looking at him.

"Yeah, just fine. I'm gonna miss him."

"I know. He's pretty special. I'm going to miss him too – and Alarice and the children." She stood watching with him for a while. Finally, she began to speak again. "But you know what I'm going to miss the most?"

"What?" He looked at her curiously.

"The sense of peace here. I keep thinking about going back and – I'm kind of dreading getting back to the fight. I was kind of looking forward to settling down."

"Really?" he asked, surprised. He'd thought it was just him and that Sam would be anxious to get back. "I thought you missed all the action?"

Laughing, she reached out and gently touched his arm. "Oh, I don't think there's been a shortage of action since we've been here. I think it was more the dream of settling down and not having to fight anymore that seemed possible here."

"Settling down? You'd go crazy in a week", he answered, quoting her own words back to her.

"I would if it I had nothing to do but cooking and cleaning – but I would love to have time to do some more lab work and I think I'd like to write another book."

"Mmmm. Something big and incomprehensible again I bet."

"Maybe, although I might just do something a little more – popular."

"Really? What would you write?"

"I don't know. How about _Fifty Ways to Please Your Lover_?"

"Wow! You'd definitely do well with that one. However", he stopped and looked sternly at her, "you are _so_ not giving away your secrets. I'm the only one who's gonna benefit from the genius skills of Sam Carter."

"I'm assuming you don't mean my skills as an astrophysicist?"

"Definitely", he reached down and kissed her, "not your skills", he kissed her a second time, "as an astrophys -", another kiss, "although I'm sure" kiss, "you're a _wonderful_" kiss, "astrophysicist. I was thinking more along the lines" kiss, "of your skills", kiss, "in -"

"Will you guys GET A ROOM", yelled Daniel. "And get on the ship. We wanna get going while there's still an earth to get home to." He turned to Teal'c. "Geesh, can you believe those too?"

"No. I am wondering if we made a mistake Daniel Jackson."

"A mistake?"

"In bringing them together. They are becoming – tiresome!" But since he looked at Daniel with a twinkle in his eye the other man knew he wasn't – totally - serious.

"Yeah, they are a bit obnoxious, aren't they? I'm sure it will get better though." He frowned. "And if it doesn't, I think we should arrange to have them both kidnapped again and dumped on some planet far, far away!"

It took Teal'c only a few minutes to get the ship ready and soon they were taking off from the planet where so much had happened. Jack looked soberly out of the port hole, contemplating how much his life had changed. He suddenly felt a warm hand grasp his and turned and smiled at the woman beside him. She laid her head on his shoulder and they sat there quietly as the space ship carried them back to their world, and to an uncertain future.

"I say we jettison him into space." Jack growled.

"We can't do that Jack."

"Why not?" he asked the archaeologist. "He's a hemorrhoid on the butt of the universe. Everyone would be a lot happier."

"Except Rannulfus", the exasperated younger man replied. "I think we should take him somewhere where he can be arrested and tried for what he's done."

"And where might that be Daniel? It's not as if there's some kind of intergalactic court of justice somewhere. And whom are they going to call as witnesses? Do you think Hammond or the Air Force are going to agree to us returning somewhere to testify against him."

"They might, as long as it was a world with a gate."

"O'Neill is correct, Daniel Jackson. There is really nowhere to take him. I must admit I concur with O'Neill. It would be easier to simply rid the galaxy of one such as he."

O'Neill sighed. As much as he really wanted to do that – and he probably would have in certain circumstances, he also knew his moral code wouldn't allow it. He really wished the man would try and escape and he'd be forced to kill him. As it was, he couldn't do it in cold blood, even though he was sure the man deserved it after all the pain and suffering – and death – he'd caused.

"What would happen if we gave him back to the Goa'uld?" Sam asked. "He's a renegade Jaffa isn't he? Who was his System Lord? If we returned him wouldn't he get in trouble?"

"He would be tortured and killed Major Carter-O'Neill."

Jack couldn't help but smirk at Teal'c's form of address. Sam had begged him, on more than one occasion, to call her Sam but he always refused. Now he'd added the 'O'Neill', which Jack admitted to himself, he really liked. He glanced over at his wife who glared at him. He shrugged and continued to smirk. So, sue him. He still liked it.

"Sounds good", Jack looked at Daniel and Sam's expressions and sighed. "Hey, I said it _sounds_ good. I didn't say we should do it. I know it wouldn't be right. So, any other ideas? We could take him back to earth with us and have him tried there."

"How? He's an alien. He'd have to be sent to solitary since he couldn't be sent to a regular prison."

"Okay then people, I'm fresh out of ideas."

No one said anything for a while, all of them trying to figure out a solution for their prisoner. If it had just been a case of revenge, or even justice, for what had been done to them they probably would have just let him go. The problem was, they knew he'd start his slave trade up again and they couldn't let him victimize more people.

"Why don't we take him back to one of the planets he's stolen others from?" It was Sam who finally spoke. "We could hand him over to the people there and let them deal with him."

"Hmmm. I like it." O'Neill decided. "Trouble is, how would we know which planet and how would we get there?"

"I know O'Neill. When I was looking for you I discovered from which planets Rannulfus and his men would steal slaves. I understand something of the people on each planet as well. I believe I know one where he would have a fair trial but where he would also receive justice."

"Great, let's drop him off!" When no one moved he said again, "Let's go. I want to get rid of him as quickly as possible. I've been dreaming of a beer and pizza for a long time now so let's get a move on!"

It was the next day before they were able to drop off the slave trader. He'd yelled and screamed at them, calling them names in all different languages, but he was ignored. Jack stayed as far away from him as possible, still tempted to mete out some direct and very personal punishment.

The people of Archaea were extremely pleased to receive Rannulfus. He'd taken a number of their young people over the years, including the daughter of the chief. It was a just society, but O'Neill was pretty sure the trader was going to receive full and complete justice for what he'd done.

"Okay campers, let's go home." O'Neill spoke softly as they watched the local people take Rannulfus away in chains. He turned back and got on the ship, a sudden dark mood descending on him. As the others boarded the ship he noticed that they too seemed pensive. He was pretty sure it was the worry about going home as well as the feeling that their journey of the last year – for good and bad – was ending.

By the time they'd arrived on Chulak all of them were feeling jumpy and nervous. He'd bitten Daniel's head off a couple of times and had even been short with Sam. He would have apologized except for the fact that they were equally as crabby with him.

He'd really had to go easy around Bra'tac. Normally he liked the man, and had great respect for him, but today the Jaffa really got on his nerves. He felt like he was going to scream if he called him 'human' one more time. O'Neill was not a hard name to remember for God's sake! It was Sam's hand on his arm that eventually calmed him down enough to be civil.

"Bra'tac, as good as it is to see you" (okay, little white lie there), "we really do need to get home. Do you think you could get the GDO for us?" He was worried Bra'tac was going to insist they stay for supper or something but fortunately, the man just nodded and went and retrieved their ticket home.

As Jack took the small piece of earth technology it really hit him. They were actually headed back to earth. Soon they'd see the SGC, their friends and comrades – and they'd have to deal with all the fallout. He took a deep breath and looked up at his team. Each of them looked apprehensive – but they were also giving him looks of encouragement. They were right – as he had been – they were in this together.

With a smile and a soft 'thanks' to Bra'tac he turned to his team. "Let's go home."

They stood in front of the DHD and simply gazed at the Stargate. This is what had brought them all together, all those years ago. It had brought them each great suffering but also great joy. They'd shared wonderful new sights through this portal. They'd met new people, both human and non, and had learned things beyond what any of them had ever imagined. For Jack this gate also meant redemption and the coming again of hope and happiness.

With a smile he looked at Daniel "dial her up Danny. Home is waiting."

General Hammond was working on his month-end reports – probably the thing he hated most about his job. It was times like these that he thought about Jack and the man's abhorrence of paper work. He could definitely sympathize!

As he continued to sign form after form he let his mind wander to his lost team, to Sg1. He wondered where they were, if they were still alive, or if they'd died on that planet months ago.

Things had gone on at the SGC with little outward change. Hammond had been around enough years, and had witnessed enough loss, to know that life does go on, that the world doesn't end just because someone you cared about left – or died. The fight against the Goa'uld continued and others had arrived who had – almost, but not quite – filled Sg1's big shoes. It was true that no one was indispensable – that didn't mean they didn't leave an awfully big hole.

So, things had continued, almost like normal, except they weren't the same. There was something missing, something lacking without the presence in this world of Jack and Sam and Daniel and Teal'c. They were all unique and very special people. They were his people, but they were also his friends and he missed them. He looked over at the small Homer Simpson figurine that O'Neill had given him one year for his 'Secret Santa' gift and sighed. God, he missed that man's humor and irreverence. The Air Force – hell, earth – was just not the same without him.

Suddenly, he could hear the gate activate and Walter's announcement of an unscheduled off-world activation. He frowned, trying to remember if any teams were away. As far as he knew there was no one. Hopefully it was just one of their allies come to offer some snippet of information. He prayed it wasn't someone coming to tell them Armageddon was coming.

He slowly stood up and made his way down the stairs to the control room. "Any idea who it is Sergeant?"

"I haven't received the IDC as yet Sir", he stopped and put his hand to his earphone. "Wait, it's" he looked at the General, "it's Teal'c Sir. It's the code you gave him before he left to look for Sg1." Walter's eyes were wide but Hammond refused to let himself hope. There'd been too many times in his life where he'd been disappointed.

"Open the iris Son." The wormhole engaged and then there was a short pause. With a 'shloop' Teal'c walked through and into the gate room. Hammond took the mike, disappointed but refusing to show it.

"Welcome home Teal'c. Go get yourself checked out and then come up and we'll debrief."

"Thank you General, but I have brought something back with me. I believe you would like to see it first."

Hammond went to speak again, to tell Teal'c he'd see whatever it was after he'd had his medical, when he heard another 'shloop'.

He stood up straight, shocked and speechless, for behind Teal'c stood Daniel Jackson. He was immediately followed by two more bodies coming through the event horizon.

"Hi General", Jack's voice called up to the Control Room. With a big grin he saluted. "Glad to see us?"

General Hammond glanced quickly at Walter, just in time to see the biggest, shit-eating grin on the Sergeant's face. He was pretty sure his expression was the same.

"Yes Jack", he answered into the mike. "Very glad to see you. Welcome back Sg1!" He'd thought he would never get the chance to say those words again. God, what a great day it was. "Go, get yourselves checked out and we'll debrief. And Jack?" The other man looked up on his way to the Infirmary.

"Yes Sir?"

"You've been missed Son – all of you!"

"Thanks George", he replied. "Ditto!"

Just as he neared the Infirmary Jack heard a screech that he was pretty sure could have wiped out an entire galaxy of Goa'uld. He couldn't help but grin. Yup – one tiny power-monger just got the surprise of her life.

"Hey Janet", he said as he walked in to the exam room. She was just pulling back from having given Teal'c a hug. The big man looked slightly stunned, but not unhappy.

"COLONEL!" She rushed over and threw her arms around him, which, considering the height difference was a little awkward. "Oh, it's so good to see you Sir. We all thought you were dead."

"I did not Dr. Frasier." Teal'c replied calmly.

"No, you're right Teal'c, you didn't – and thank God for that." She turned to each of her friends and suddenly looked at them with a more critical eye. Jack rolled his eyes, recognizing that the Doctor had taken the place of the friend.

"We're fine Janet."

"I'll be the one to judge that Sir. Can you all get up on the tables? I'll just get a couple of my nurses to help me." As she walked out of the room Jack called after her.

"NO NEEDLES!" She just waved her arm at him, not even looking. "Damn, I just knew it. We're gonna get poked and prodded for the next _week_!"

"Well, we have been away a long time Sir." Sam added quietly. He turned to look at her in surprise.

"Sir?"

"Sorry", she smiled. "Old habits and all. I think it's being in this place. It seems wrong to call you Jack while we're here."

"Hey, maybe that'll mean you'll both give it a rest for a while!" Daniel said.

"Jealous Daniel – just jealous!"

"Am not Jack."

"Are too!"

"Am - "

"STOP", Sam interrupted. "Janet will be back soon and I don't want to have to explain_ that_ conversation."

"Fine", Jack looked over and glared at Daniel. '_Jealous'_, he mouthed. Daniel gave him the finger in return.

"Daniel!" Janet said, shocked. "What are you doing?"

"Ah, nothing Janet. We were just fooling around."

"Oh, okay. Just don't let the General see you do that." Jack looked over and smirked and raised his eyebrows. Daniel squinted back at him, promising retribution.

"Okay, I want to know everything", Janet said. "First, were any of you hurt while you were gone?" They all looked at Jack, who, of course, tried to look innocent.

"I'm fine now. There's nothing wrong with me that a fishing trip, a nice cold beer and a very large steak won't cure." As Janet started to speak Jack interrupted in disgust. "I know, I know – let you be the judge of that."

"So, is anyone going to tell me what happened?"

"We were kidnapped by slavers and taken to a planet where we were sold." Sam began. "J – ur the Colonel was injured on the flight. He'd tried to help me – some men got a bit rough with me – and he was whipped." Janet raised her eyebrows and walked over to the Colonel who glared at his wife.

"She'd have found out anyway Colonel." He simply grunted in reply. Sam continued.

"They put some kind of stuff in our eyes which made us temporarily blind. They gave Daniel and me the antidote before we arrived on the planet. Our eyes were fine after that."

"And the Colonel?" Janet was looking down at him speculatively.

"Ah, they didn't give him the antidote."

"Why not?" she asked, frowning.

"He'd made them angry I think. They also saw him as more of a threat." Janet nodded. She could believe that.

"So, what happened next?"

"Well, we were taken to the city in a cart. I guess the natives on the planet aren't aware of space travel. When we got there Daniel and I were taken to the slave market and the next day we were sold. I was sold to a woman names Acquilina, Daniel to a scholar by the name of Aetius."

Janet turned to O'Neill who was looking down at the floor. When he didn't say anything she looked to Sam and Daniel, who were both frowning.

"Jack was sold as a galley slave."

"A _galley_ – you mean like Ben Hur?"

"Yeah", O'Neill said softly, "exactly like that."

"Oh my God Sir. Were you there long?"

"I think it was about four months although I kinda lost track of time."

"How awful. Were you – hurt?"

"Not really, at least not after the initial – punishment on the spaceship."

"Jack!" Daniel interjected. "Tell her the truth."

"That _is_ the truth Daniel."

"What about your eyes."

"What about them. They're fine.

Daniel turned to Janet. "They never gave him the antidote so he was chained to the bench for months, totally blind. They didn't release them – ever. They had to sit in the same place the entire time, feet and hands chained to the floor and the oar. The ship was eventually in a battle and was sunk. Jack, and his 'bench-mate' Atta, were the only ones to survive but Jack was hurt pretty badly. Fortunately, they were rescued and eventually taken to Atta's homeland where he recovered."

Janet just shook her head. She should have known! She'd definitely have to give Jack an extensive physical. He looked at her with pleading eyes but she wasn't going to fall for it, no way!

"You forgot to tell her that while he was still recuperating he helped the people who saved him win a major battle and managed to rescue both of us."

"Hey", he protested. "I didn't do that on my own. It was Germanicus' soldiers."

"You were the one behind it Jack."

"Look Doc", Jack continued. "Once we were rescued by Germanicus – he's Atta's brother by the way – everything was fine. They became our friends and helped us back here and we're all good. My wounds are long healed and I really just want to go home." He hoped he sounded believable and pathetic enough. He really, really didn't want to spend any time in the Infirmary.

"Of course you forgot a couple of little details Jack." The Colonel looked at Daniel and made a slashing gesture with his hand across his throat but of course, Janet picked up on it.

"What else Colonel?"

"Nothing Janet. We helped the Alemanni – that's the enemy of the people who enslaved us – win another battle and then had to rescue one of their people who'd been captured."

"And got captured yourself in the process and _br -_"

"Daniel SHUT UP!"

"Sir. I'll find out anyway you know. It would be better if you just told me, that way I'll know what to look for and it will take less time."

He looked at her suspiciously, eyes narrowed. He wanted to trust her – but his experience of doctors told him that she'd want to keep him longer if she knew what had happened.

"Just make him take off his shirt Janet." Daniel said softly. She looked around and realized they were all looking very serious. Jack, per usual, was looking down at the floor.

"Sir?"

"Yeah", he sighed. He knew it would have to happen anyway. Still, he hated being on show. "Can you just – not have the nurses around?"

She nodded and quickly gestured for them to leave. They'd been taking temperatures, blood pressure and blood from the other three teammates. Once they'd left she turned back to the Colonel. "Okay Sir. Can I look?"

"Okay." He paused and then began to pull off his tunic. He'd be really glad to get back into modern clothes.

He'd never seen his back – mirrors weren't common where they'd been – but he had seen his chest. He hated it - hated it with a passion, and avoided looking at it as much as possible.

He knew Janet had seen lots in her career so couldn't help but feel uncomfortable when he heard her gasp.

"Oh Sir", she said from behind. She'd seen men who had been whipped before, of course she had, but she'd never seen anything to compare to Jack's scars. It looked almost as if he'd been flayed alive. There was no space on his back that wasn't covered in the ugly looking scars. It was a miracle he'd survived. She reached out and touched him and he jerked away.

"Do you have much feeling Colonel?" Sam and Daniel looked shocked. They hadn't even thought about that.

"Some. A lot of it is pretty numb."

So intent was she on his back that she hadn't paid any attention to his chest. As she walked around to speak with him she glanced down. What the hell! She reached out and touched the red looking letters. This scar looked much newer and like it wasn't quite healed yet.

"Sir?" she asked. He just shook his head, feeling ashamed.

"He was branded Janet", Sam said softly. "It was when we went to rescue Crispus, a young man who had helped me escape. Jack was captured and they branded him as a runaway slave."

"What does - ?" she looked at Daniel. Jack still wouldn't look up.

"Fugitivus", he answered quietly. "Fugitive."

"Oh." Realizing suddenly how difficult this was for O'Neill, she became all business like again. "I'm going to order scans for all of you as well as all the blood work. We've already ascertained that you're 'Goa'uld-free' so you should be able to go and have your briefing with the General, but you'll all need to come back for further tests." She looked down at the Colonel. "Sir, I'm going to get in touch with the Academy about getting a plastic surgeon to look at you." He looked up sharply at that. "Colonel, that brand needs a graft. It looks deep and it's not totally healed. The surgeon may even be able to get rid of the letters."

Although he didn't look happy at the prospect of grafts, he was cheered by the thought that he could possibly get rid of the FUG. The letters, for some reason, made him feel ashamed.

"It'll be okay Jack", Daniel grinned, "Sam can hold your hand and kiss it better." Janet stared in shock at Daniel's words. What the hell was he thinking? She glanced over at Sam and, instead of anger, saw that her friend was blushing.

"Daniel!" Sam retorted. "Stop it."

"I've been trying to tell ya", Jack interjected, "jealous!"

"Jack, I am _not_ jealous. I'm just tired of watching the two of you kiss and cuddle all day. It's, it's – what is it Teal'c?"

"It is 'tiring' Daniel Jackson."

"Yeah Jack – it's _tiring."_

Jack snorted. "_Tiring_? That's terrible isn't it Sam? We wouldn't want to _tire_ you." He looked back at Jackson. "Daniel, if I want to _kiss and cuddle_ Carter all day, everyday than I'm gonna do it. If you don't like it then close your eyes or go away." He then decided to return to his childhood and stuck his tongue out at the other man. "Still say you're jealous", he whispered.

"**Aaaarghh**!" Daniel groaned and grabbed his head. "Janet please, poke him full of holes! He deserves it."

"Daniel, that's not very nice Danny!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!" Janet's shout stopped everyone cold.

"Oops", Daniel grimaced. He'd kind of let the cat out of the bag. "Sorry Sam, Jack. I forgot."

"It's okay Daniel, we weren't trying to hide anything."

"Okay, enough. Now tell me what this is about? Why are you _kissing and cuddling_ a Major under your command? And why does everyone seem okay with that?"

"Hey, I'm not okay with that Janet", Daniel looked hurt. "That's why I was complaining. I mean, I _am_ okay with that, just not so much of it."

"Daniel!" She then whipped her head around to look at Jack and Sam, "Sir? Sam? Now give. What is this about?"

"Uh", Sam looked slightly panicked and turned to Jack who simply sighed. As the senior officer he guess if fell to him.

"We're married Janet."

"What? Who?"

"Me and Danny", he said scathingly. "No, Sam and me, Doc. We didn't think we were going to make it back so we – got married."

"Oh. My. God!" she plopped down, boneless, on one of the examining tables. "They're going to kill you!"


	26. Obesa Cantavit

**_So ends another story. I thank all of you for faithfully reading - and a special thank you to my wonderful reviewers. I'm definitely going to do another story - what it is I'm not quite sure - I hope you will watch for it and review._**

**_Check out the Gatefic dot com website and nominate your favorite SG fics (Sg1, Sg Atlantis or SGU). There are some great writers out there - I've nominated a couple. They've extended the deadline to the end of May. If this sounds suspiciously like a shameless plug - hey, I'm shameless! (but it seriously can be any stories/writers you like). Thanks_**

Sam knew that if Jack had even a teensy bit of an, 'I told you so' look on his face, she'd kill him. The night before they'd left to come home they'd had their first fight as a married couple. Jack had decided the best way to handle things when they got back to earth was to not say anything at all.

"I'll resign Sam and then we can start dating. It can be a short courtship and after a couple of months we can get married. We can't get into trouble that way and it shouldn't affect your career."

"I told you Jack, there's no way. You are not going to resign! So I think we should just go in right away and tell them we are married. If we look like we're trying to hide something it'll be worse. This way we can innocently say we didn't think we were doing anything wrong."

"I don't know, I like my way better."

"No! You are not going to retire!"

"What if I want to?" he whined.

"Jack – I know you're just doing this to make things easier for me – for us – but it's not worth it. Let's just say we thought we weren't ever going to make it home so decided to get married."

"You're the one who said they'll ask when it happened."

"Well, we 'pledged' ourselves before Teal'c came. On some planets that's as good as a marriage."

"Casuistry Sam – it won't wash."

"Don't ask, don't tell?"

"That's not about marriage – at least between members of the opposite sex. No, I'm gonna retire."

"Fine, you just go ahead and retire but I'm still gonna tell them we're married!" She stomped out of the room and he didn't see her for a couple of hours.

He knew he hadn't handled that at all well. He wanted to tell her that he really did want to retire. He'd thought about it and decided he'd had enough. This last experience had been the proverbial 'straw' and he didn't think he had it in him to keep fighting. Now, however, she thought he was doing it to protect her and their marriage. Damn, you really screwed up O'Neill.

They made up, of course, which almost made the fight worth while. He tried to talk to her again but she simply stopped him talking by kissing him. As a weapon it was very effective and, by the time Jack was able to concentrate, she'd fallen asleep.

So, here they were, back on her and he'd decided to do things her way. By the look on Janet's face, it might have been a mistake.

"Janet, you don't know the whole story!" Sam said to her friend. "We were there over eight months and we were sure we weren't ever going to get home – or at least not for a long, long time. How were we to know that Teal'c would find us?"

Janet looked skeptical. "Teal'c? I thought you guys would have been pretty confident that he'd still be looking for you."

"Yeah", O'Neill added, "except we figured he'd been killed on that planet where we were kidnapped. We figured no one knew where we were." If that was a slight exaggeration, none of his teammates were going to correct him.

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm sure that General Hammond and his bosses will say it's okay then." She still looked doubtful, which had Sam worrying. "Well anyway, I'm glad to see you all back, relatively safe and sound." She stopped Jack dead in his tracks as he tried to inch his way off the table. "Except you Sir. I notice you're favoring that knee again. Did you hurt it?"

The Colonel took a deep breath and then let it out in one long exhale. "Yeah. It's probably gonna need surgery. Can you look at it when we get back Janet? It's waited this long, a couple of more hours won't hurt."

She didn't like it but she could understand their desire to talk to Hammond. She suspected that the General was also pretty anxious to hear what had happened to his best team.

"Okay Colonel, just be careful, okay? The General is waiting so we'd better get going."

"Are you coming to Janet?" Sam asked.

"Yes. He wants a report on your medical conditions – at least the preliminary ones. I've got fresh clothes for all of you. Sam, you can change in my office."

As they walked to the Briefing Room Jack exchanged a look with Sam. This was going to be the first of probably many difficult briefings over their time on the planet.

"You know", Jack whispered, "we're gonna have to come up with a name for that place. We can't keep calling it 'the planet'."

"It is called Misera, O'Neill." Teal'c answered him. Jack stopped and looked at him, stunned.

"How do you know that Teal'c?"

"I asked."

"That's it? You just said, 'what's the name of this planet?' and they told you?"

"Yes."

"Damn! I should have thought of that!" By this time they'd made it to the Briefing Room. They all entered and sat down in their usual spaces. Jack suddenly felt like the collar of his shirt was too tight. He looked at the others and they all had slight expressions of nervousness on their faces – except for Teal'c. He looked his usual imperturbable self.

"Welcome back Sg1", Hammond said jovially as he entered and sat down at the head of the table. "I can't tell you how happy we all are to have you back." He turned to the Doctor. "How are they?"

"Reasonably well, Sir. Colonel O'Neill is facing some surgery but it's nothing too bad. He should be back on his feet pretty quickly."

"Excellent", he beamed, although he gave Jack a searching look. Leave it to his Second to get into trouble. "So, I want to hear all about your time away and how Teal'c eventually found you." At that he suddenly grew sober.

"Teal'c, I want to thank you. If it weren't for you we would never have gotten the rest of your team back. You did well and the Air Force owes you a debt of gratitude – as do I and the rest of the men and women on this base!"

"I am pleased to have been able to find them General, and I thank you for your support."

"Yeah Teal'c buddy – you done good!" Jack smiled, as did Daniel and Sam.

"So, before we get started, I wanted to let you know that you are – officially – no longer considered MIA. I've also informed your families that you've been found, safe. Needless to say, they were thrilled."

"What did you say Sir?" Jack asked.

"They were told you were on a long-term undercover mission. We said it had gone on longer than expected but that it was now over. Jacob, of course, knows the truth. In fact, he's been searching for you almost as long as Teal'c. I've sent word to him through the Tokra. I expect we'll see him before many days are out."

"Thank you Sir", Sam replied calmly. She'd wondered about her father.

"And Major", the General continued. "I've also spoken to Pete Shanahan. Although he didn't know the whole story, because of his limited clearance he has been aware that you were off-world. He was very pleased to hear you have returned." He smiled at her. "I expect you'll see him pretty soon as well."

She gave a feeble smile to the General and thanked him softly. She refused to look at Jack although she felt his foot hit hers. She figured he wasn't too pleased. They'd never really talked about Pete.

"So people. Let's hear your story?"

For the next hour they told the General all the things that had happened to them. Jack, as usual, tried to gloss over certain things but his team refused to let him get away with it, which caused him no end of embarrassment.

"So, you didn't think you were going to make it home?" the General stated seriously when they told him about the final battle with the Adrano.

"No Sir", Jack answered. He paused and then took a deep breath. Sam's hand reached under the table and took his. This was it.

"That's why Major – I mean – Sam and I decided to get married." The pause that followed that statement was deafeningly loud.

"I don't think I heard you Colonel." Hammond looked as if something unpleasant had flown up his nose.

"We thought we were there for good Sir", Sam jumped in. "We believed we were no longer bound by Air Force regulations so we decided to get married."

"Married?"

"Yes Sir", they both said together.

"When you believed you weren't coming home?"

There was another pause. Jack shifted in his chair. "We decided to get married then Sir, yes."

"Decided?" Damn, thought Jack. He was so hoping George didn't pick up on that. He found he couldn't out and out lie.

"Yes General. We felt we had to make a life there and so – we decided to get married."

"I see – and you went through with it."

"Sort of."

"_Sort_ of?"

"Jack!" Sam turned to glare at him. "We did Sir – it was just we didn't quite realize it at the time."

"_**What?**_"

"Well Sir", Jack explained. "We had agreed to get married when Teal'c showed up." The others looked at him in surprise. "It kind of – bummed us out. I mean, we were happy to see him and all but the timing sucked. After accepting that we were stuck there for life we were suddenly going to go home so now the regs were an issue again."

Teal'c jumped in at this point. "But they had already given each other their pledge to marry, General Hammond."

Jack smiled at Teal'c but continued. "Yeah, but even so, we knew that it was the end of the matter Sir." He didn't need to say anything – Hammond could see how painful that must have been for both of them. "Except Germanicus and Atta, the two brothers we told you about, decided to take matters into their own hands." Daniel's eyes got big as he realized Jack was keeping them completely out of it. He went to open his mouth when a foot kicked him in the shin. He looked up in surprise to see Sam glaring at him. Okay, he got it, he'd stay quiet.

"Take matters into their own hands?" asked the General.

"Yes Sir. They had Sam kidnapped."

"What?"

"They had her kidnapped. I didn't know it at the time, but the tribe that did it belonged to Germanicus father-in-law. It wasn't a real kidnapping although I didn't find that out until much later."

"What happened?" The General was fascinated at the story unfolding in front of him. Only Jack O'Neill! God, he'd missed the man.

"Well, when I got to the village where she was being kept – Daniel and Teal'c came along too – I was told that the Chief was going to marry her. I guess that's how these nomadic tribesmen found their brides. Anyway, I argued and somehow – I really don't know how General – the Chief thought that I was Sam's – ah - Carter's fiancé. Because of that he relinquished all claims to her."

The General looked back and forth between the members of Sg1. "I gather there's more?"

"Well, they decided to throw a bridal shower for us."

"A bridal shower", George said faintly.

"Yeah, at least that's what Daniel told me. I didn't speak their language."

"I didn't say bridal shower Jack. I said 'betrothal'."

"Potato, Potawto Daniel. I was told it would be rude to leave and to just stay and join the party. Being the diplomat I am", Daniel and Sam both snorted – he glared "I agreed. The next thing I knew I woke up in bed with S – Major Carter."

"In bed?"

"Yes Sir – naked."

Sam squeaked. She really didn't like General Hammond knowing _all_ the details.

"I – see." The General looked slightly - red.

"Yeah – it was a little awkward Sir. We didn't know what had happened. One minute we're partying, the next we wake up naked next to each other."

"Okaaaay. And?"

"Daniel came by a few minutes later and told us that it hadn't actually been a bridal – okay Daniel – a 'betrothal' party, it was a wedding. Carter and I were married."

"I see. And what did you do then? Or should I ask?"

"We talked Sir." Sam added. "We didn't know what to do. We really hadn't planned to continue with our relationship but suddenly we were married."

"And they didn't tell you the best part General." Jack added.

"What's that?" he asked with a long-suffering sigh.

"We had to spend seven days in the tent, naked. It was some requirement of the tribe for newly married couples."

"Seven days? I don't suppose I should ask what you did?"

"No Sir." Jack answered shortly and didn't say anything more. It was up to Sam to continue.

"We discussed it Sir, seriously. But we finally decided that since we were legally married, although through no fault of our own, we'd stay married. Both of us are Catholic, General", she finished, as if that explained everything.

"Catholic?" he asked.

"Yes Sir", Jack grinned. "Neither of us believes in divorce."

"But Jack you've already - "

"I know General, but it wasn't my choice – and it was very difficult. I wouldn't want to go through it again."

"No, I'm sure you wouldn't", George said faintly. "So after that you - "

"Yes Sir, we – consummated the marriage."

"Again and again and again and again", Daniel said under his breath. Jack glowered and held up the piece of paper in front of him. On it he'd written _JEALOUS! _ Hammond closed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on.

George stood up and leaned on the table. "I'll get in touch with my superiors and explain the matter to them. Hopefully they'll understand. But I hope _you_ understand – I can't put you back on regular duty until this is sorted out."

"I know Sir", Jack said gently. He felt badly that this had all landed in George's lap. "We're sorry – we didn't mean to create problems it's just - ", he stopped.

"I know son. I don't blame you. You all did remarkably well considering what you had to go through. If the Air Force wants to come after you for this – well, I'll raise some hell of my own. I'm sure they'll be reasonable although I expect they'll insist you can't stay in the same chain of command. It's going to mean some changes.

"We know General", Sam said. "We really don't want to make trouble but – it was difficult on the planet and we grew – close."

Hammond smiled at the young woman in front of him. He hoped Jack realized what a lucky man he was. Glancing over at his officer he couldn't help but grin. Oh yeah, Jack realized all right, if that besotted expression was anything to go by.

"I understand Major. Don't worry; I'm sure everything will work out. Now, I want you all to head back to the Infirmary and get sorted out with Doc Frazier. In the meantime, I have a few phone calls to make." He walked to his officer door and then stopped. Turning around he allowed himself to relax. "I should have said it before but – congratulations you two. It's about time!" With that he turned and headed into his office, leaving behind a room full of stunned teammates.

Things did hit the fan – slightly – but eventually everything turned out okay. The Air Force decided that the 'extenuating circumstances' of their time away from earth were enough to let the matter go. The fact also that religion entered into it (at least according to Jack and Sam) made it less than attractive for the Air Force to make an issue of it. They didn't want to show any evidence of violating someone's religious beliefs.

So, in the end, Jack and Sam were considered legally married and weren't charged or kicked out of the Air Force. With sighs of relief all around the teammates, with a few other of their closest friends, threw a celebration and announced Jack and Sam's marriage to the world.

After the marriage business had all been sorted out, Jack had had to spend a few weeks undergoing some surgical procedures on his scars and his knee. It turned out that the plastic surgeon wanted to do something on his back as well as his chest. There was some nerve damage on his back that he repaired as well as loosening some of the scars to help Jack's range of motion.

The surgeon wasn't able to completely remove the scar on his chest – it was too deep – but he disguised the letters so that it looked like nothing more that a scar rather than a brand. It would have to do, sighed Jack, although he still hated it, and what it stood for.

The worst part of the last few weeks had been the day Pete had shown up at Sam's. They'd only been back for a couple of days when Jack was helping her pick up some things to take to his house. They were going to stay there for now until they decided where they wanted to live permanently.

Of course it was Jack who answered the door. "Hello Pete", he said calmly to the other man standing there.

To give him his due, thought Jack, the man handled it well. He said hello and offered Jack his hand.

"Colonel O'Neill", he said calmly. "I believe we met once before."

"Oh? Yeah, I guess so."

"Uh – well, I'm here to see Sam. Is she here?"

As if she wouldn't be, thought Jack scornfully. This is her house! "Yeah. She's packing."

"Packing? Why? Where's she going?"

"Pete!" Sam's voice suddenly broke into the awkward discussion. Jack could see the other man visibly relax. Jack smirked. He knew it was mean – Pete actually was a nice guy – but he couldn't help it. He'd won the 'fair maiden' and he wasn't above gloating.

Sam's eyes promised him swift and painful retribution if he screwed up. He shrugged, looking innocent and backed away from the door.

"Sam, babe, it's so good to see you!" Pete walked in with his arms held wide. Before she had a chance to react he'd grabbed her and pulled her to him. "I missed you." He nuzzled into her neck.

She looked to Jack in panic, over Pete's shoulder. He just shrugged. It was her call.

"Uh Pete?" she tried to pull away. "It's nice to see you but - "

"Nice? It's great! I've taken a few days off and I thought we could spend them together." He backed off a bit and looked at Jack. "Thanks for coming over Colonel, but I've got her now. You don't need to stay."

"Oh no, that's okay Pete. I don't mind." Jack loved playing obtuse although he knew he was in for it later.

"Um – well Colonel. What I mean is that Sam and I want to spend some time together - alone."

"You do? Is that right Sam?" He looked at his wife. He had a brief thought wondering if she'd been turned into a Goa'uld. He was sure her eyes were glowing at him.

"Jaaaack!"

"Yes Carter?" he smiled sweetly at her. "You haven't answered Pete. He wants to spend time with you."

"And you're okay with that – Sir?" she asked, equally as sweetly.

"Well, I can't exactly order you not to Major. That's outside my purview as a senior officer. However, I do wonder what your husband would say if he were to find out you'd gone out with a strange man." The way he said strange had her shooting daggers at him this time. Boy, he'd never realized how dangerous her eyes actually were.

"Sam? What's he talking about?" Pete was starting to get irritated. Who the hell did O'Neill think he was, the smart ass? Sam wasn't married.

"I'm talking about her husband, Pete."

"She's not married Colonel. I think you must have her confused with someone else." Pete threw the words out at him as if they were arrows bent on ripping through his chest.

"Do I Carter?" He looked wickedly at her.

"Sir!"

"Sam, what's going on?" Pete looked at her beseechingly. He didn't know what was happening but whatever it was, he didn't like it.

"Pete look, I'm sorry about this. I meant to call you and arrange to get together so we could talk. I really didn't plan on having he Colonel here", she turned and glared at him.

"What is this?" Now Pete was really worried. He looked back and forth between the two officers. "What are you saying?

"She's say - "

"Be quiet Jack and go get yourself a beer." He looked at her and then shrugged. One of the main things you learned in the military was when to advance and when to retreat. Now was definitely time for the latter – otherwise there might be a bloodbath any second – and he knew who from whom most of that blood would come!

"I think I'm going to go help myself to a beer." He faced Pete and stuck out his hand. "Nice to see ya again Pete – and my condolences. Seriously – I'm really sorry." On that note he headed back to Sam's kitchen.

Pete faced Sam fully, a frown between his eyes. "Sam?"

"Come and sit down Pete. I need to tell you something."

Jack expected to hear or see Sam as soon as he heard the door closing, indicating that Pete had left. When he didn't hear a thing he grew worried. Placing his beer on the kitchen counter he hurried out to the living room, only to find Sam crying, her head in her hands.

He felt like he'd been punched in the gut. She was regretting choosing him. She'd found out she still loved Pete and instead was stuck with an old, worn out solder. God, what had he done to her?

He stood frozen in the doorway, barely breathing. He was so stunned he didn't see her lift her head and look at him worriedly. "Jack?" she said. "What's wrong?"

He breathed in carefully and then lifted his eyes to her tear-stained face. "I'm sorry." He said quietly.

"Sorry? What for?" she smiled slightly. "You were a bit of an ass to him but not as bad as I expected." He looked at her strangely. "What?" she said, frowning. "Jack?"

"I'm sorry about Pete. I – I didn't mean to – I know you'd rather - "

"What are you talking about?" She stood up and walked over to him. She was really getting worried now. He looked awful.

He closed his eyes. "I know you'd rather be with him." He said, so quietly she almost didn't hear him.

Suddenly a fist connected with his shoulder – hard. "Ooph!" he opened his eyes and grabbed his shoulder and began massaging it. "What was that for?"

"For being an idiot." She looked at him in exasperation. "You take the cake Jack O'Neill. What more do I have to do to show you that I'm madly in love with you and have been for years? I married _you_ for God sake!"

"But you were crying?" he said in confusion.

"Only because I had to hurt a kind man. He didn't deserve what I did to him and I felt terrible. I had to tell him I was in love with you and he was devastated. _That's_ why I was crying. And right now, I could use a hug", her voice cracked.

Immediately he walked up to her and put his arms around her. "I'm sorry. I am an idiot. I guess I just can't quite figure out why you love me. I'm old and grumpy and I carry around way too much garbage. I mean really, what do you see in me?" She murmured something, which he couldn't hear.

"What?" he asked her to say it again.

"Your ass. That's why I love you." He stared at her blankly for a minute and then started to laugh.

"Wow, I thought it was something profound. And here I thought only men were that – superficial!"

"It's not superficial – it's – cute! You have a _really_ nice ass. I'm the envy of the entire base – the women at least – oh, and probably some of the guys."

He frowned at the idea of any guys liking his – oooh no, he wasn't going to go there. The women now! "Really?" he said, rather pleased. "Who knew?" She leaned her head on his chest.

"Yeah, and you have a great mind and a great heart and a great soul. What's not to love?"

He didn't know what to say. In fact, he didn't think he _could _say anything without disgracing himself so he simply bent his head and gently kissed the top of hers. "I love you, you know", he finely said.

"I know", she answered. "And I love you", she leaned back and narrowed her eyes. "And don't you ever forget it - idiot!"

His knee was slowly improving after the surgery and Janet felt it would be good enough for him to pass his physical. He should have been relieved, but instead was kind of disappointed. He felt restless and grumpy but wasn't quite sure what he wanted. He finally decided to go see Hammond.

Sam had been out of sorts lately too. She'd wanted to talk to Jack about something but didn't quite know how to approach him. Things had all happened so fast and they were having to reacquaint themselves with the fast-paced life of earth.

They had one more week until they were to return to duty when Jack asked if she'd like to go to the cabin. What with his surgeries they hadn't been there since they'd been back.

"That would be great", she said quietly. They needed some time alone, without any distractions.

The first day at the cabin was spent resting and just ambling around. They went on a slow hike and came back and fixed a light supper. Afterwards Sam made some coffee and took it out to the porch where Jack was standing.

"Wanna sit on the dock?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah", he took his coffee and they made their way to the chairs they'd left there earlier in the day. It was a warm evening and the stars were glowing in the clear sky. They both sat down, letting the peace of the evening wash over them.

"I'm not going back", Sam said after a couple of minutes.

"Huh", he asked, not sure he'd heard her correctly.

"I'm not going back."

"What? You like it here so much?", he smiled.

"I don't mean that. I mean I'm not going back to the Air Force. I handed in my resignation."

"What!" he sat up straight, spilling his coffee on his hand. "OW! Damn it! He put his cup down on the dock and rinsed his hand in the lake. "What the hell have you done Sam?" he said as he stood up. "You can't resign. You have your whole career in front of you."

"I know."

"So – what? You know? That doesn't make sense. You've resigned so your career is essentially gone."

"No it's not. Oh, my career in the Air Force is done – that doesn't mean I don't have other options. I have a relatively good pension and lots of other opportunities."

"But why Sam? Why now?"

"Why? Because I want to do other things. Because I want to enjoy life for a change without worrying if I'm going to die or watch my friends – or my husband – get killed. I can still help our efforts – just not on the front lines."

"But you're a great soldier."

"Yeah, I wasn't bad and I think I did some great things. But you know what this last year has shown me?"

"What?"

"It's shown me that I'm not indispensable. The world didn't end because I wasn't here. The fight went on without me. Rather than make me feel – bad – it made me feel free. I can do other things and I'm not going to cause the total destruction of the earth because I'm not going through the gate." She put her hand on his leg.

"Please Jack, be happy for me. Please believe me when I say this is the right decision. I didn't do this lightly – and I didn't do it for any other reason than this is what I want."

He just sat and looked at her, trying to process what she'd told him. He was so stunned he didn't quite know what to think. Slowly, however, it dawned on him that he'd worry less with her not being on the front lines. Oh, that didn't mean he wouldn't worry – having allowed himself to love again he knew how easily it could be stripped away. Still, things were looking up.

Then again, there was always that possibility now of kids. If she wasn't fighting the Goa'uld it might be something she'd consider. She'd make a wonderful mom! He'd have to ask her about that.

Finally, he realized that he could have that peace and contentment he'd dreamed about so short a time ago. It was in his grasp and he'd be a fool to let it go. Looking down at her beautiful face, awash in the silver moonlight, he finally smiled.

"Okay, if that's what you want I'm behind you 100 percent." She leaned forward and kissed him.

"Thank you Jack."

"There's just one thing."

"What?"

"Can I buy a horse?"

"A horse?" she asked, surprised.

"Yeah, now that I've retired too, I thought maybe we could raise some – and maybe a kid or two."

"Retired? You too?" she began to laugh. "Jack O'Neill, you _are_ an idiot - and I love you!"

"Back atcha Mrs. O'Neill. Back atcha!"

_**Obesa Cantavit – The Fat Lady Has Sung!**_

_**It's Over! **_


End file.
